Performance in allied health exams declines
The chairperson Allied Health Examinations Board, Mr Mugisha Rwandembo, hands over the 2013/14 Exam results to Education state minister John Chrysostom Muyingo, during the release at the ministry headquarters in Kampala yesterday. Photo by Faiswal Kasirye
What you need to know:
More than 500 candidates are to re-sit the exams having failed to score the pass mark in exams that have registered a 9.1 per cent decline compared to last year.
Kampala- The Uganda Health Examinations Board (UAHEB) yesterday released the June-July 2014 examinations results, indicating a decline in performance compared to the previous year.
Out of the 2,979 candidates who sat for the exams, 2439 (81.9 per cent) passed, compared to 2,656 (91 per cent) in 2013, representing a performance decline of 9.1 per cent. A total of 540 (18.1 per cent) failed the exams, meaning they will have to re-sit some papers if they are to graduate in their specific areas of professionalism .
In comparison, more candidates failed the exams this year compared to 257 (09.0 percent) last year.
UAHEB executive secretary Kato Kimoga partly attributed the poor performance on inadequate coverage of the curriculum, low staffing levels and inadequate training facilities in many schools.
“This was evidenced by some candidates attempting few questions than required. In fact, training institutions need to regularly improve their stocks of the relevant equipment and other teaching /learning materials to facilitate smooth running of examinations,” he said.
A drop in performance was registered in Pharmacy where only 57 per cent of the candidates passed compared to last year’s 92 per cent, Environmental Health Sciences and Medical Laboratory Techniques (certificate courses) where performance declined by 34.86 per cent and 4.5 per cent respectively.
However, some better results were posted in Anaesthesia, which registered 100 per cent passes, followed by Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery ( 100 per cent) and Dental Technology (94.1 per cent).
When releasing the exams, Education junior minister John Chrysostom Muyingo reiterated his ministry’s commitment to equip all health training institutions with necessary equipment to improve the teaching of health profession in the country.
The graduates
The successful candidates graduate as clinical officers, laboratory technicians, anaesthetics officers, orthopaedic officers, dental officers, public health officers, physiotherapists and pharmacists and will receive diplomas and certificates.
