Schools relax Senior Five cut-off points

KAMPALA.

Majority of schools across the country have lowered the entry points for Senior Five following a decline in performance in last year’s Uganda Certificate of Education.

For instance, Gayaza High School, set the cutoff points at aggregate 16 compared to last year’s 14 [best done eight subjects]. Out of the 1,046 students who applied, only 105 were admitted.
However, Mr Ronald Ddungu, the head teacher in charge of academics, yesterday said not all candidates who gave the school their first choice had been take. He explained that although 18 students had scored the cutoff point, they were left out.

Maintained cutoff
At Kings College Buddo, the cut-off for boys stayed at aggregate 11 while that of girls increased to 15 from last year’s 13. Namilyango College also had its cut-off raised from 14 to aggregate 16 as Obote College Boroboro will admit candidates with 40 for boys and 46 for girls.
The government directed schools at the two-day exercise to increase their student intake in sciences.

Dr Yusuf Nsubuga, the director basic education in the ministry of Education, asked school heads to give priority to students pursuing science subjects to achieve vision 2040.

For example, he said schools which the ministry had earmarked as centres of excellence should increase their science admission by 100 per cent, those implementing government’s free education should at least admit 50 per cent of the science students while non-USE schools should have 80 per cent.
Reported by Patience Ahimbisibwe, Stephen Kafeero, Betty Ndagire, Shabibah Nakirigya, Gloria Haguma, Carol Nambowa, Rose Rukundo, Al-mahdi Ssenkabirwa, Juliet Kigongo & Lawrence Ogwal

REACTION
‘We have severe shortages of plumbers, technicians and nurses. If we continue producing students without jobs, we are doomed. We have to rethink our strategies...,’
Dr Yusuf Nsubuga, director basic education, Ministry of Education

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