Concern as 1300 fail primary seven entry exams in Soroti
Ms Silvia Iyamitai Obany hands over the results to one of the head teachers in Soroti City at Pioneer Primary School on Friday. Photo | Suzan Nanjala
What you need to know:
- Out of 3,486 candidates from 76 schools, only 156 passed in division one, 778 in division two, 410 in division three, and 715 in division four. A total of 44 students did not sit for the exams
At least 1,300 pupils in Soroti City have failed their primary seven entrance exams for 2024, a stark reminder of the challenges facing Uganda's education system.
Out of 3,486 candidates from 76 schools, only 156 passed in division one, 778 in division two, 410 in division three, and 715 in division four. A total of 44 students did not sit for the exams.
According to Mr Paul Etiang, chairperson of the examination committee in Soroti City, the poor performance can be attributed to various factors, including the lack of readiness to finance the examination process. Some schools even pulled out of the exams, citing financial constraints.
"Schools need to focus their attention on the training of teachers," Mr Etiang emphasised.
The best-performing subjects were English, science, and social studies, while mathematics was poorly done. Mr Etiang also cautioned schools against malpractice, warning that they will be banned if they engage in such behaviour.
The Soroti City inspector of schools, Mr Simon Opolot, urged teachers to reflect on their performance, noting that most schools had examiners in all subjects but still failed to perform.
"We are making some reforms as the education department, even if the transition is hard," Mr Opolot said. He encouraged teachers not to worry about the results, as there is room for improvement.
Ms Silvia Iyamitai Obany, the education officer in charge of special needs guidance and counselling, emphasized the need to support slow learners physically. "Let's have it in mind that these learners need our support because everyone can perform, so let's not leave them behind," she said.
The poor performance in the exams has raised concerns about the effectiveness of Uganda's automatic promotion policy, which was adopted in 2005. Under this policy, teachers are compelled to promote all pupils to the next class, regardless of their performance. However, many teachers have protested this policy, arguing that it advances poor performers who later struggle to comprehend the curriculum of the next class.
