Visually-impaired boy tops UACE exams with triple A

Mr Daniel Elaju from Iganga Secondary School emerged one of the best Special Needs Education (SNE) candidates who sat for the 2020 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) exams.

Mr Elaju, who has an extreme case of visual impairment, posted triple A, the top principal passes in History, Christian Religious Education and Literature in English, and subsidiary passes in General Paper and Computer Studies, collecting the maximum 20 points allowed.

The second best was Ms Shiphra Akantambira, from Bweranyangi Girls School in Bushenyi, who scored triple B in Entrepreneurship, Education, Economics, and Literature in English, and subsidiary passes in General Paper and Subsidiary Mathematics.

Ms Akantambira, who has dyslexia, was followed by Ms Marion Rinnah Namwase, with a hearing impairment, from Mbale Progressive Secondary School, who posted C, E, C in History, Entrepreneurship Education and Christian Religious Education respectively, and subsidiary passes in General Paper and Computer Studies.

In the fourth position was Terah Reese Kayira, with a physical impairment, from Hilton High School, who scored C, A, C in Mathematics, Art and Building Drawing respectively, and subsidiary passes in General Paper and Computer Studies.

The candidates sat the examinations between April 12 and May 3, under the theme, ‘Integrity and Security in the Management of Examinations; the Health and Safety of the Learners is a joint Responsibility.’

A total of 208 SNE candidates, including 110 male and 98 female, registered for the 2020 UACE exams.

These consisted of extreme cases of visual impairment (16), partially visually impaired cases (46), those with hearing impairment (12), severe physical impairments (22), dyslexics (23) and those with other forms of disability (89).

“Adequate arrangements were made for these categories of candidates in order to ensure they write their exams conveniently, Mr Dan Odongo,” the Uganda National Examination Board (Uneb) executive director, said in an official statement on the release of the 2020 exams.

“Some of the considerations we had for these candidates included availing them transcribers, sign language interpreters, physical support personnel, having their exams embroidered in large print and braille,” Mr Odongo said.

Meanwhile, those in other SNE categories were given extra time of 45 minutes per paper they sat for. While 208 sat for the 2020 examinations, including 110 males and 98 females, a total of 205 sat in 2019, including 116 males and 89 females.

UACE Special Needs Education candidates’ performance in 2020 compared to 2019