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The UPE progam has helped a lot of the peasants in their struggle to educate their children to attain te basic skills of primary school education. The parents who could afford to pay for their children have been sending them to private primary schools with the hope that they can get good results at the end of the Primary Leaving Examinations. In the past it has been that some parents in the villages would then give fees to educate the boys and leave out the girls, in the struggle to give secondary education to their children. I think this will have to change since now there is the chance for the peasant to take their daughters to the Universal Secondary Education program.. BUT WILL THEY DO SO? I think this at last is the chance to advance the education of the girl child in rural Uganda where that chance has not been very visible. It has come to my notice that most pupils who are in primary schools are girl , there seems to be more girls than boys at least in some schools. All the more to support the GIRLS EDUCATION MOVEMENT that has been set up by the UNGEI.. United Nations Girls Education Initiative.How can the local community be sensitized to positively respond to  this innitiative in line with Ugandas USE Universal Secondary Education for Bonna Basome Siniya?

UNEB Releases UCE Exam Results: Males Dominate

Thanks to UNEB  for releasing the UCE/S4/UNEB/2006 results. I love education and a tiica by profession, am reaaly happy tyo see that there is an improvement in the S4 Exam perfomance. Yes the challenge still is that a lot of schools  must put in more in the study or the teacing of sciences at O level. But unfortunately many third world and mostly rural secondary schools  have really struggled to educate the students  without all the science laboratory equipments that other schools have. What is amazing is that  a lot of times when the students move from these upcountry schools to go to better A level schools  some of them end up doing better than those who did their O level in the good schools.

Now that the Universal Secondary Education is here we hope that secondary education with emphasis on sciences will help many youth and thus have a bigger number of candidates passing and joining A level. But again there is need to encourage the students to join A level so that they do the 6 years of secondary education prior to their going to the University. Mai question as usual - I hope the girls will see value and put in more effort in doing the sciences both at O and A level. If the girls can do well then we are assureed of women scientists and women active in other science related fields.

Congratulations to all Head masters, teachers, parents and students for the good S4 results.Parents please take the children to S5. We now need a good education system that can offer good A level studies to enable the students read, pass, and go to the University.

UGpulse ---- I have note seen the results for Kibaale district put in your article of the best candidates  per district.------ what happened.------ please reply --may be it was a misprint.

 THANKS FOR THE  ARTICLE ON THE S4 RESULTS

This is a very informative article.  I am bowled over with the research and format in how it was put out for us here.  Thank you and please keep us informed more.

I'm going to ask to be excused to digress in light of a comment I read up on a photo Admin had posted of school kids walking to school in a town setting.  Reason being that it highlighted the headaches or obstacles some in rural parts of the country face getting to-fro school on a daily basis.  The comment came from the photo section and I am attaching the photo to refresh our memories.  Sometimes it boils down to poor planning in one's household in any setting irrespective of locality be it rural or town.  Indeed there are some families in town whose kids also don't get fed prior to them walking out to school. 

Just because one lives in rural parts shouldn't be an excuse for not planning out ones's day/week/life.  What's stopping these kids carrying some mawolu or even lumonde/cassava let alone posho, and eating it at intervals along the way? I might've been in a boarding school in a very rural area of Busoga in my earlier life but believe you me - we improvised on what was around locally to compete with the day school kids!  I used to even to trade chores with locals for millet/sogum meals or other food stuff that we couldn't pilch off from their compounds such as mangoes, oranges or sugarcane!  I may be wrong but I sometimes feel its this kind of encouraged mental malaise that is infecting our society in so far as some in rural areas are concerned; whereupon now heading down to some villages you'd be hardpressed to find a well tendered garden but instead have to equip yourself with a car full of raw foodstuffs in addition to the old expected trade-offs such as soap or parrafin!!!!

Tiica.... No idea about Kibaale... perhaps there whre no top performers?....lol

The writer is from UMC with his email address at the end of the article if you really need to know. :)

Tiica - It's good to have you on board and that you are in the teaching profession on ground. Hopefully you can be able to shed light first hand as to certain aspects that could be plaguing our education system over there.

You raise a point pertaining to availability of resources for science subjects in rural school settings  - this no doubt can be applicable to other academic subjects too, but let's stay on the one you bring to the fore. You have gone on to mention another valid point when you state that students from disadvantaged school settings have gone on to attain better grades later on in their academia once they have relocated to other educational institutes outside of their upcountry ones.

My take on this comes in two parts.  It is a challenge for rural or some upcountry schools to facilitate an ideal grounding in certain key academic subjects due to lack of resources.  However the teachers and parents/community where these schools are, also have a duty towards their offspring's academic progress.  Teachers when planning the curriculum of their students should be able to not only draft out the obstacles that lie ahead or set fees with/without additional costs which keep changing goals posts. They ought to try and find workable and transparent solutions within the constraints of their set budgets.  It is when clear and conscise educational issues are ear-marked, can the journey to address the root causes be commenced. Have rural schools thought of  a scheme whereupon they can share facilities/resources with other schools in areas whereupon they find themselves unable to deliver?

Parent's within such communities and beyond, if they take interest in their offsprings' attainment, should work with the schools to facilitate this through the existing governing bodies that most schools have in place already.  This ought to be done in a professional manner and not on a basis tied to kinship or otherwise.  Also where there's a will there's bound to be a way as will be shown whereupon these students although having lacked the resources for the ground work into their academic attributes, will go on to flourish if emphasis is not placed on the shortfall of the school's . Positive teachers bring about positive students, less focus on what is lacking and more focus on the potential of each given student might also be an avenue worth exploring. 

If the resources for science are missing - use ingenuity of the locality around to teach the subject on hand - some of the great scientist didn't start off with fancy labs but a willingness to experiment with all things around them. 

Shalom - I hope you can add your input seeing as you are soon to be heading down to input all you've had in addition to what existed!!!

When the UPE prgram began some ten years ago in 1997, it began sorrounded by the politicisation of the education that the NRM party in government would give free primary education to all children. Well first the government offered to sponsor four children and then later on it was decided that all children be given a chance to go to school.And then there was the problem of class accomodation as some schools didnot have the space to house the children i.e. some schools had as many as 350 in one class, and it was almost a disaster with the high enrolment in primary schools. But the peasants welcomed the idea and the program of free primary education as it helped many of the poor to send their kids to school withou paying school fees. Some got the impression that Museveni will take care of the kids as long as they are in school -- boona basome.But then some ten years down the road the UPE program has made some progress because the government eventually built some classrooms in different villages and town and helped take up several community founded schools that became goverment aided schools and thus reducing the child teacher ration  per clas from the 350 number to about 65:1 or even in some cases to 55:1. The kid are passing the PLE exams ad are ready to go to USE. yes  eagerly awaiting to go to secondary schools or SINIYA as the peasants call it.

But now ten years later and its today, the goverment now has offered free secondary education.That means that the graduates of UPE that began ten years ago,are coming into the secondary schools.The question again is: how ready is Uganda to house the incresing number of students that have now joined the Universal Secondary Education, In some subcounties, or Gombororas there are no secondary schools and one wonders what will happen to those kids who have finished PLE and have passed the exams. Where will they go? The rural areas are worst hit because the kids are many and the schools are few.The ministry of education tells us that over 200,000 Senior one students are enrolled under USE and they are to flood schools today Monday 19 Feb 2007. Yes the intake per school has increased but the facilities have not increased, I guess its because the nations ministry of education was busy with UPE and didnot have enough time to plan for the USE. If it is true that the ministry indicated that the 700 government aided schhols are expected to admit 126,000 students, private schools 36,000 and new seed schools 4,800 then what will happen to the rest of the kids? The ministry plans to bulid SEED schools in subcounties withou secondary schools. Well what will be the situation in the north and in the east of the country where there has been some political instability and no schools built? And what of those subcounties thatnhave never bulitanysecondary school private or community based or faith community based? Government wants that the government schools admit students who got over aggregate 28, while the private schools are free to take on those with up to 32 aggregates. But those whgo passed are many and will they all be absorbed into the USE school aand the private schools?

How reaady are schools for the USE the Universal Secondary education? Well since Uganda is on the road to modenization and privatisation, I think its high time the government gave subsidy to school that are private in order  to boost the education sector of the nation. And so the step taken by the government so far is a good a step, that is , to befriend the private schools and make sure that they admit students into the secondary schhols ad thus be able to absorb the high number of UPE graduates that are going to increasingly enter the secondary schools year after year . That means it high time the government woes investors into the education sector as part of the privitazation program--- to invite the faith based communities especially churches and then business community  and other local and foreing bodies or NGOs to invest in education, and especially in secondary education.

As usual, I find myself again putting the same question: will the peasant community this time see the light at the end of the tunnel and think seriously of sending their daughters to secondary schools?  or wil it be the same saying that girls and women are not to go to schools. You see in the past it has been that the parents would pay fees for the boys and not for the girls as the girls would be kept home for marriage and for good money of dowry, but that is now changing, and education will fast track that change in society so that the parents see value in educating the girl child as well .I think its high time the population be sensitized on the values of girl child education. Yes we must support the education of the girl child so as to have the nation go into modernization.The girls must go to the USE and then A level and later on other tertiary instituions and  University, then they wiil be able to come out of the training and enter the world of politicians, doctors, nurses, engineers, teachers, professors, the military and business community  etc. at local, district,regional, national and international level.

Yes free secondary education has began today in Uganda, but the question still remains: how ready are the schools , the parents , the Local Councils . and the politicians  ready for the Universal Secondary Education. Feel free to respond to my rather lengthy observation of education events in the field of secondary education USE in Uganda.

 TIICA - lover of educating the youth.

Tiica - thanks for the update. I am however still waiting for your response to what I raised to your earlier posts.  It would really be appreciated if you were able to keep this as a two-way communication as opposed to a one-way street.

Nevertheless, I shall respond to your latest posting.  Going from lessons of the past, I do not think the current schools are ready for the USE implementations as suggested by the current system.  They just dont' appear to pay much credensce to preparing the groundwork sufficiently for it to have effect just like most of the projects the current governance practices.  It's merely a case of jumping on the bandwagon, ticking the boxes necessary and hoping that those that can be quick enough to ride it out, pull through. The feasibility studies were probably done theoretically and prolly looked very impressive too.  Just that they forgot one factor - we are dealing with human error here involving corruption that still remains like a huge boil and one that seems to be so adaptable to any new projects that come into play.

Education in our society is something that requires well established roots in order to see rounded effects - not a rushed job for political scoring. One thing I will keep harping on about - educate the girl child by all means, but do not forsake the education of the boychild. We need a well educated society of both gender - not just the female gender as this can lead to an imbalance in later years to come. Look at China to understand where I'm coming from!

UNEB Releases Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education Exam Results

Congratulations to all the students, parents and teachers for all the hard work that bore such fruits. 

BTW - does the idea of tertiary education in Ug have a place in the education sector?

Please elaborate Sugarbabes... as far as I know Tertiary education is any education after secondary... eg Makerere University offers tertiary education... therefore it does exist and has for long existed in UG.

 Have you guys noticed from the results at http://www.ugpulse.com/events/uace_results.asp that we are really facing a crisis in Sciences?  I was disagreein with the government before but these figures makes me understand the crisis at hand.  The goverment seems to indeed have a point in taking drastic measures to promote sciences over arts... The inbalace in some districts is amazing.

Don't know where Yumbe is http://www.ugpulse.com/events/uace_results.asp?district=yumbe

But only one science student passed in this district... and did you see his grades....wow!

The long awaited results of the S6 candidates are finally out and the education stake holders are now evaluating to see what happenned and how the perfomance was. And all this comes at a time when the whole nation is going thru this awaiting with a lot of anxiety.

From mid Jan to early March 07 we have witneesed the release of Exam Results by UNEB at different levels: PLE for the P7 candidates , UCE for the S4 candidates , and now the UACE for the S6 candidates. And at each releasing of the results tension mounts again as to where the children will go for the next stage of their education. It reminds me of a pupil I met while visiting  Lubiri Primary school in Ndaiga-Kyaterekera, Kibaale disrtict near the escarpment of Lake Albert that borders with DRCongo.  Poor pupils would always walk 5 miles fom the escarpment down at the lake and trek on bare foot to come up hill to Kubiri PS to attend classes and go back down the escarpment every day. And for sure by P7  with that long walk you have many school drop outs and few PLE candidates. And so I asked the pupils of P7, the candidate class, what they would like to be in future.? After a lengthy discussion on education issues they started saying, well after P7, next is Siniya (S1-Secondary education). And I kept asking , then after Siniya then what,---- well then Haaya,(S5-6 HSC), and then Makerere (University studies).Then I asked  - what next after Makerere? MBU  going to Bulaya (Abroad - overseas, I guess they were itired of going over water wells, over  streams, over rivers and now they anted to go overlakes and overseas, and one wonders why not over oceans?)  And I asked what next after going to Bulaya Abroad Europe or America? and the answer was. well then i just stay there and ENJOY the good things of the Bazungu. To enjoy the life of affluency. and be as rich as the whites. BUT MAY BE  THEY WERE RIGHT, AND THAT IS THEIR VISION OF EDUCATION --- IT TAKES YOU TO BETTER LEVELS OF LIFE, IT LIBERATES YOU FROM IGNORANCE TO KNOWLEDGE, BECAUSE EDUCATION IS POWER.

ButI see that the enrolment of spupils in primary schools has improved so much especially with the introduction of UPE Universal Primarey Education, that our Ekanya Cartoonist once rightly termed  UPE to mean not  the Bonna Basome but to mean BOONA BAZAALE or better UGANDA POPULATION EXPLOSION --UPE.Well the UPE program  that was introduced for the nation some ten years ago in 1997, has produced its fruits and now in 2007, the graduates of UPE are to enter the secondary schools and study without paying school fees under the USE Universal Secondary Education program. When the PLE 06 results came out, there was an improvement in the PLE reults and the number of those whpo had passed had increased tremendously. Now the gavumenti  has to plan on how to house the many S1 intakes. Not all succesfull candidates  got a chance to go for free secondary education.Why? because some schools that are government aided didnot wandt to participate in the USE plan, other govt schools whose fees was above 75,000Shs were left out as the MoE wanted to put students in school that werecharging up to less than 75,000 Shs for day scholars. Then there was the fact that although the MoE wanted to assist each subcounty with oner secondary school for USE some subcounties did not have any secondary schools at all.The MoE has finally come out with a plan to make a covenant with several Private secondary schools to admit the rest of the PLE graduates.Here at the PLE, remember that the private schools did give a challenge to the UPE schools by giving good PLE results and at times better thatn those of UPE where the UPE schools have almost everything given by MoE.The USE  has come to help many of the poor parents in the towns and city and especially the rural peasants who cannot afford to get the money for the fees of their children.At least now they have no excuse except to get money for uniform, books and lunch for their children who are now going to Siniya. And the number has been so big for the S1 Intakes as if we did not kbnow that the baks of the great UPE river would one day burst into Siniya.

And then came the S4 UCE Results and again the EXPLOSION was so great that  the Haaya is again unable to house the S5 intakes  and several schools of A level have been forced to put stiff entry mark for entry into S5. But all this is in vain because within the next 3 years or so, again the big EXPLOSION will be felt after the S6 UACE exams. The number just keepes increasing at every level may be for the good of the nation Uganda. And surely we need more secondary and A level schools  to cater for the big number. May be its high time Govt did waive taxes  for investment in USE so as to encourage more people, businnes people, foreign investors, Local Communities LC3 and LC5, and faith-run organizations like churches to come back into the field of education and give a hand in educating the youth by putting up more schools.

As we begin to see or feel the pressure of UPE upon the secondary schools, then I think its high time the nation realizes the need for a better planning and setting up of education standards from nursery schools all the way to university --- that the students get the type of education that will equip them to be job makers and not job seekers waiting to be in the office for white collar jobs of the Colonial times.

The S6 results are out and its time again to look for vacancies in the tertiary institutions. But how ready are we for this as well, because it seems that at every stage  we realize that the planning has not been enough and that the  students who finish one stage and want to go to the next cannot do so because there are not enough institutions to absorb the S6 graduates. REMEMBER THE KID IN THE OTHER PRIMARY SCHOOL WHO SAID HE IS READING SO AS TO GO TO UNIVERSITY---------- what will happen to his dream?The MoE says that 98.55 of those who sat for A level exams passed and qualify to get UACE certificate , this means the number of those to qualify for entry to Universitites might get bigger as well withe the bigger impact of the UPE explosion. Many of the S6 successful graduates cannot afford the fees payments at the university this is simply because the majority are from poor and very, very poor families. Some one has suggested that a special fund or bursary be set up so that these needy, poor but bright students be helped to further their education.

Iam aware that the boys are perfoming beter than the girls at the UCE and the UACE UNEB Exam results and especially in the field of Maths and the Sciences, but thats why all the more should government push for the policy of encouraging all students especially the girls to pick interes and do the sciences well at O and A level.  Schools with few facilities have proved both at S4 abd S6  Exam results that they can still pass and thats why thereis more need to assist these schools wit extra funding in the sciences.It will mean training more teachers who can teach sciences and it will mean that science laboratories be spread out to as many schools country wide and not just to the govt city schools but also to the rural schools and especially the  girls schools in the rural areas be they private or govt aided schools. this is affirmative action.Yes when you see the society of Europe and America, the women are educated or rather the number of educated women who have finished College or University is high and this has helped the income of the families. . Uganda we must take a step in that direction as well and encourage the girls to study and reach college or University well knowing that EDUCATION IS POWER, it will empower them. The rural schools singelsex or mixed, private or govt aided should be assisted, they deserve the support because they contribute to the education and the development of the nation. Finally  isay that there is a saying that A NATION WITHOUT A VISION IS BOUND TO PERISH OR VANISH INTO OBLIVION, therefore we must invest in the education of the African Uganda Child, for I believe that education will give economic emancipation to our Uganda and especially to the girl child. EDUCATION LIBERATES, EDUCATION EMPOWERS.

FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY   

About Sciences and Arts...

I wonder what’s with people thinking sciences are better off. Personally that’s a judgment from a very small perspective of things (no offense) not everyone will excel as expected in sciences or arts which ever is thought easier or better, we are teaching the young generation that we have to think for them. Is that what we want our future leader to be (thought for)? They should be left to make their own choices and know the consequences.

The desire for Arts or Sciences comes naturally or by example then, excelling will be automatic, and don’t forget that we use our brains differently (am talking about left or right hemispheres) which will highly affect our love for either Arts or Sciences, yes I know we can fix this but that’s not something of  view at the moment..

I don't think the problem is with UPE, USE or Uni. Problem is that we are still stuck with this education format... why should people think Primary 1 to University education format gives you a life of your dreams or is the only sure way out...

I say it makes you a second hander who lives on old systems that have taken us no where so far and are no longer that helpful.

hhh.... 

Thanks for the post TIICA... apart from waiting for the government to organize the madness of their good intensions.... perhaps Ugandans from around the world can find a way of assisting.  

FIRST: Helping setting up schools from donations(By the way i just talked to a friend here in the States who is about to set up a school  in UG for orphanages and has raised over $200,000 in less than a year...also read http://www.ugpulse.com/articles/daily/Education.asp?ID=454)

SECOND: Maybe some Ugandan entrepreneurs can find a way of making a quick buck with this increased demand for education- a demand that needs to be encouraged even without supply.

The history Tiica has expressed in his post reminds me of how big coorporations here in the US made(and still make) large sums of money from the "baby boomers"- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_boomers , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_boomers#Size_and_Economic_Clout_of_Boomer_Group

Basically after World War 2 there was a population explosion in the States and many entrepreneurs in the States saw this and planned accordingly from increasing the supply of nappies creating some giants in this market, to increasing the supply of anything as this generation of Americans went through different stages of their growth from 1945 up to today.  This is part of what we are currently seeing when we see the US with a healthy economy... I believe the baby boomers right now are on cruises and planning for retirement or something...lol.... so the market is adjusting to meet these needs.

Ofcourse the US government steps in to regulate every now and then but the main forces are supply  meeting demand in the private sector.

Now back to Uganda.... from what you have described.... I'm very excited for what is ahead.... even as some of these UPE and USE students don't make it.... perhaps a little economic boom in UG is coming in the next 7-10 years?  In the meantime I think a lot of people should start thinking of how they can get involved in the education sector even if its purely out of making a quick buck- challenge here will be regulation and perhaps even here, another entrepreneur can set up a contract with the government to regulate these mushrooming schools.

Apart from discouraging our education system from simply making job seekers instead of job makers... WE also need to understand that our government is inefficient(often not by choice) and that we cannot always wait for the government. In this case they have at least done a decent job by increasing enrollment.... A good  and healthy private sector(with clever entrepreneurs) will find a way to make a dollar out of the chaos.

I know what is on people's minds as they read this...."Oh well easy for you to say... this is not America.... where are our poor Ugandans going to get the money to build these schools... who will pay the fees if these kids are going for free."....LOL.... well ... let me put it like this....if you can't figure that out then you are not an entrepreneur and you should stick to job seeking....lol.... hahahaha! 

As for conceptx... ESPECIALLY if you live in Kampala or Jinja, I agree with you.

 But have you seen the results at http://www.ugpulse.com/events/uace_results.asp ?

In most disctricts the grades are terribly low and in some disctricts ABSOLUTELY NO ONE PASSED in the sciences. 

Some of the other districts that have students that passed....their grades are often relatively low.

If I was in the Ministry of Education looking at these stats I would do the same thing that the government are doing.  This is like a war that we are facing and drastic measures are needed to encourage students in the science field.  i think there is a misconception that the government wants to increase the number of science majors above those of Arts.  From looking at these results this is not true by miles.  What they are trying to do is simply create a healthy though not perfect balance.

As for the few science graduates ending up abroad.... oh well... that is another story and and another thread... altho I believe someone will attempt to bring it up in this one.

Just got an email from my kid brother who ALSO did not do too well in the sciences.... aparently a lot of his friends are "stranded" as they failed or did not perform well in the sciences.

Its surprising how you are reading the scores of the best in the districts and what you are seeing are E's and O's... obviously there is a foul smell in the system.

(Thanks for the post TIICA... apart from waiting for the government to organize the madness of their good intensions.... perhaps Ugandans from around the world can find a way of assisting.)   You are right Finaly..was thinking of how we us pulse members can contribute and become active in our countries development. Have seen many schools and hospitals built by friends as a team. We dont need to be public about it but should be determined to make it a success. we have the power we can do it.. your views?

Finally, what I was enquiring about was to find out what investments - be it public or private,  are being put in to this area of education, as in part, some people who've prolly missed the boat in academia might benefit from this branch of education or even those whose grades haven't hit the target requirement to get into University.  For instance, some persons might not be gifted in theoretical acquisition etc, but can excell  in practical forms of education.  With my very limited knowledge of education in Uganda, I just wanted to learn what was available for such people. 

Talking of science grades, could it be that most students in Ug tend to follow the pack - i.e - most opt for trendy subjects such as law or business studies which appear to be the in-thing in so far as money making is concerned?  Are there any prominent science mentors on ground for persons to aspire to aside from those most would associate to be linked to clinicians?  How is the career education managed?

The idea of all of us doing our bit to contribute to the education system is indeed a good one - how many of us can take the gauntlet to donate our services on a voluntary basis to utilise our professional skills be it in rural or town settings when we take holidays to Ug?  I've found organisations such as habitat or fairtrade to be good vessels in this respect.

is encouraging students to do sciences going to improve their grades?

if you think/yes I suggest you think again. I don't see any basis on why you should think that and I will be so grateful if you can enlighten me… unless if you are talking about applying brute power (punishment for bad grades). Then, you would be of no difference to someone crying of a dictating government but going back home to dictate.

If we used brute power, got many good doctors out of university what is their productivity going to be like in hospitals? These are the fellows who will server you because they think they are "just" helping you to serve you, they will do less work in 8 hours than someone who loves what they are doing in 2 hours, yet they filled the classes for that someone who missed it because they couldn’t afford it (where money is, grades won’t apply even at Harvard). and things will always be the same. Please don’t forget what you have been through.

I would prefer we have the best artist from anywhere in the country (as well as doctors who really love what they are doing) but not make artist feel like they are doing a disservice to their "needy" country for scientists.

the government is not just creating a balance, it made sciences compulsory (http://www.scidev.net/News/index.cfm?fuseaction=readNews&itemid=1944&language=1 ) am talking about looking at the periodic table like a maze (yet you know you will have to answers question on it) rather than using that wasted time in a literature or music class making a kanye west or Fina Mugerwa of yourself...

this is where we have failed; to follow our passions but do what is trendy, fill jobs we are not fit for and embezzle all the money out of them.

we will only end up with, more time wasting, more sciences failures and more passes (though the ratio of failures will be bigger than it has been before sciences where made compulsory), more dropouts (thinking they are to dense for school since they can't do sciences well) and we end up even losing the good arts students we could have had.

I say the cancer is in our system… we still think your son or daughter has to be a doctor, an engineer or what ever the sciences class can give them to be of service to his nation… I say that's WRONG.

PS:

those people enforcing sciences in your children's brothers' and sisters' classes take there sons and daughter abroad to do anything of their choice. :)

Conceptx - could it be that the government is responding to the demands of the global community whereupon we need to have a generation that is not only marketable economy but also a competitive - I would hope this is part of their reasoning for the emphasis on sciences.  Otherwise we could be seeing something akeen to faith affiliation in policies and politics of the nation.  Of interest what is the ratio of arts:science in terms of economical gain to the country and why should it be that we have emphasis on just one area?

That said - an article in the Observer Media makes interesting readings albeit it's somewhat old news...http://www.ugandaobserver.com/new/news/news200703012.php.  It does answer part of what I was asking and I thought some of you that had asked might want to read up..

wat ever the government is planning or foreseeing... Its impossible to force intellectual productivity out of intellectual man but a machine...

 

About Universal Post Primary Education and Training (UPPET)… I would say its a very welcome idea... I hope we can improve on/in that direction. Thanks for the Observer article Sugarbabes.

Please you all forgive me, but a little bit of explanation as to what the scores mean might help the non Ugandans understand or for some us who have been out of the country for so long and were scored differently understand it. 

I have liked the  Emboozi Forum discussions on the Ugandan education system now that the last batch of UNEB Exam Results are out - the S6 UACE results.

I see Uganda going thru a transformation politically, econmicaly, socially, and somehow with NAADS - agriculturally, and now with BAKOMBOZI to Somalia - militarily, and  now also I see the changes in the field of education with the introduction of UPE, USE and especially  the UGANDA POPULATION EXPLOSION  (UPE) of the schools. When the British came to Uganda in 1862 (was it Baker?) and then in1875 came Stanly who we are told took Kabaka Mutesas invitation to Bungereza to have the missionaries come to evangelize Buganda. Then in 1877 and 1879 came the protestant and catholic missionaries respectively to evangelize Buganda - the name of the Swahili for Buganda was  Uganda and then the British Colonial Masters extended that name Uganda to the rest of the currently known Uganda. Its the missionaries that began the schools and then the  colonial government  later picked interest and gradually took over he streamlining of the education system in Uganda. And By the time of Independence in 1962, exactly 100 years after the British had arrived in Uganda (1862 -1962), the British were leaving Uganda to be governed by the natives themselves - the Ugandans. But as we know that as they left Uganda to go back home rather hurriedly because of the big move to surrender the former colonies to their own independence, they actually left behind systems that were best fitting the British  political military, administrative and education structures.And so our education system remained a carbon copy of the British system. It has not taken a very big stride to try and move from the system that waas left to us by the former colonial masters. I guess it because some people want to do things as it was in the beginning so it is now and NO CHANGE< so shall it be for the future since that is how we lso studied --- so they say!!! and these by the way may be the  stake holders in the education system who are not willing to accept change for the better.

And in the end, we see that the education system in the country needs to be given overhaul and see how it can best be of relevancy to our people in the Uganda of today. We did get the system of primary -6 yrs, then junior - 2 yrs , then siniya - 4yrs, and later on Higher School Certificate called  haaya - 2 yrs. But by 1966 the junior schools were abolished and there was the introduction of the new system: P1-P7, S1-S4,S5-S6 and then Makerere. Little did we know that other institutions coul come up. And the education system had been geared attraining job seekers and not much of th job makers. As the student population grew bigger and bigger in the 70s, 80s, 90s and now even much bigger with the UPE and the USE in the 2000-2007, the current education system  needs to be given a new trend  all together. Its  a trend that must help the youg to get the education THAT WILL ENABLE THEM TO ENTER THE ADULT WORLD OF TODAY AND TOMORROW AND BE ABLE TO COMPETE FOR SURVIVAL ECONOMICALLY,POLITICALLY AND  SOCIALLY-CULTURALLY.Where as the Teko schools were closed in 1966 partly because there werefew students interested in these trade schools, I think that for today there is need to RE-INTRODUCE the VOCATION SCHOOLS to cater fort the ever increasing demds of society. This wil help correct the mentality that every one must read ASOME primary, siniya, haya, then Makerere, in that educational Pyramid that finally produces a lot of youth but who are ever on the streets with their DIGULI and not getting jobs.

My gquestion is - why cant there be a way for the nation to redirect its focus on the practical education as well, say like settying up  vocationa Traiing schools  at least per district whereby the youth have  achance to gain some practical skills for them selves . These skills can be aquired after S4 or even after S6.Look ahead ans see what is happenig? First it was the UPE in primary 1997 and now ten years later the big EXPLOSION of UPE graduates are forcing teir big entrance into the secondaruy schools, thanks be to God that there is now the USE= BOONA BASOME SINIYA.And we have seen that the EXPLOSION has alreday been felt as the re are many wh finished S4 and all of them cannot  go to Haaya because the space there is not enough. May be many more of S4 leavers can be and should be given good education in TTC and other post secondary education istitutions tat may offer practical education. These institutions do not have to be seen as taking failures , no but to take those with good grades and have them go for upper education. And then its the many S6 leavers who will not make it to the University simply because they cannot afford the fees payments and also they fail to get on the Uganda govt sponsorship. It is a shame that some of  the bright needy and poor students, and orphans cannot go for higher education due to lack of fees and yet due to a high degree of corruption in some public sectors,  you find its the children of the big shots who are  given the good education sponsorship. ITS A SHAME !! 

There has been  the discussion  on the issue of arts vs sciences in the Ugandan schools: yes we need both arts and sciences to be taught to our children but at the same time we must accept that not every one wull have the brains forMaths or the Sciences,for sure others will be gifted n Arts and shoulbe encouraged to advance in that field as well. Iam afraid thatwe shall spoil our children as they grow up thinking that if you dont do the sciences you are going to be a failure in life - NO NO NO, this is wrong, we must accept that some people are right handed and others are left handeed and that both re very helpful and productive ib society. And I guess it the sae case ith the art and the science oriented student,. There has bee a lot of pressure for students to do sciences even when they cannot afford to do so, but lets begin the love for sciences and maths at an early stage as early as P3 so that by P7, S1 S2 the child has some love for these subjects. So goes the saying that - IF YOU DONT CHANGE CHANGE THEN CHANGE WILL CHANGE YOU ... ARE WE CHANGING FOR THE BETTER ???

the change might be for good or worse depends with how the people at the grass root level asses it. I a gree with you we need both tha arts and sciences to be taught but this should start at a tender age. so that as the child grows he/she is able to choose which way suits him/her. and lets not be biased over one subject lets be positive about all the subjects and combined with the childs ability to understand  think the ratio will be equal.

the rich and wealthy are so mean and greedy, they squander the bursary fund, God forbid, ever seen their kids? majority are so thick en dumb. and no wonder the poor statistics in academic results. Lets encourage the poor to read and work hard, inability is not disabilty...they make the best leaders wherever they are placedm, they can still make it in life. Thats a fact we must appreciate

Tiica - you give a good analysis of not only the history of our education system and how it has shaped the present perceptions of all that is now a product of it, but you also go on to raise questions as to where forward now?  BTW - most in positions of leadership or governance in Ug are in someway or other a product of the colonial educational system.

Concurring with DeeNash on the fact that all subjects need to be given just as much attention for better planning of the nation she also identifies the obstacles that exist in realising these educational policies or programmes.  Which is perhaps why others in the thread so far have come up with alternative suggestions similar in part to yours. 

As an educator, I think you may agree Tiica that both internal as well as external factors need to be taken into consideration when planning anything that is to be of benefit to a family/community/region or nation.  This is perhaps where skilled educational planners need to come into play working with the projected demographics of regions and then nationally taking into account also the projected expectations of industry requirements of the country - presuming it's where the planners are aiming for!

It has been identified that girl education needs addressing in order to even out the past imbalances as well provide a good and stable economical background to the nation and globally, as a whole - which is perhaps why there's been such publicity from all global corners of the developed nations mostly to input cash into ensuring this is done.  Sadly some from within our nation just see this "fat cow" cash injection as a means to quick money and eating the chickens before the eggs can even be laid.

A hot debate has raged between science v arts in as much as selling off national institutions/resources.  This comes back to one thing - the perceptions of those tainted by not only greed and selfishness, but the inherited colonial mentality towards education.  By creating a two-tier education system which parades one subject to be of superior benefit than another is just a pavement foundation for bigotry and snobbish tendencies.

Sugarbabes:

Tiica - you give a good analysis of not only the history of our education system and how it has shaped the present perceptions of all that is now a product of it, but you also go on to raise questions as to where forward now?  BTW - most in positions of leadership or governance in Ug are in someway or other a product of the colonial educational system.

 AT FIRST IT WAS THE UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION = UPE.

When Uganda was introduced to the beginning of the Universal  Primary Education for all children, the UPE, it was soon after the NRM victory over the Presidential elections that brought back President M7 to power. He had promised that oif electec  the peasnta and the poor parents would be helped by having their children go to primary schools without the payment of school fees. And since 1997 there has been a big increase in pupils joining primary schools.

 But what is also disheartening is the recent report by the UNICEF report 2006 that although there is the UPE program its estimated that there are some 700 000 children between the ages of 6 - 14 who have not yet entered classrooms for study, for education. and so more work is to be done to have more parents send their children to schools

AND NOW ITS THE UNIVERSAL SECONDARY EDUCATION = USE

And in November 2006 many primary school pupils sat for the National Primary Leaving Exams the PLE and those who passed with aggregates 4 - 28 were given a chance to join FREE UNIVERSAL SECONDARY EDUCATION.

•  and there were 150 000 USE  students registered to begin S1of 2007:
•  http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/562730 
• Ministry of Education has released funds for USE as planned before:
•  http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/9/35/566095

iTS THE HOPE AND PLAN OF THE NRM GOVERNMMENT THAT IF THERE ARE MORE CITIZENS HAVING THE MINIMUM OF AT LEAST P7 AND S4, 7+4 YRS=11 YRS OF EDUCATION, THEN THE NATION OF UGANDA CAN MOVE AHEAD. 

The hurdles are many as they were at the beginning of the UPE programe in 1996/7  but the govt and the pipo of Uganda are confident that they will overcome therse roadblocks and move ahead. The introduction of the USE will go along way to help the nation to educate its children and will give a vhance to the girl child way way way deep deep deep in the rural areas i the villages also to get achance to study, to go to UPE and to USE schhols. I think it willl be of most adbvantage to the girl child who in most cases is not given the money to do secondary education and the chance of paying school fees has often been for sponsoring the boys in the family. Fior sure now there will be a reversal of that and have the parents now send the girl child to secondary schools as well. who knows , these girls may be future political, economic, military and religious leaders of the nation. we need the african woman to get the education and rise to highjer levels and not let the rural girls miss out this chance of free universal secondary education.

lets help the Uganda child who is hungry and hungry for education.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmxT21uFRwM

 It was Universal Primary Education =UPE 

and now

 its Universal Secondary Education. =USE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As usual there have been some ghost schools that wanted to claim the giovt funding for USE schools but were found out in time.

The question now is --- how successful has the start of USE been and does the government really have the funds for the USE or was USE put up as a political  thing to excite the massses give NRM the votes for ushhering NRM into anaother kisanja?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GOVT changes the USE funding

http://www.ugandaobserver.com/new/news/news200708092.php

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How will the Ministry of Education handle the issue of school strikes that have shown a lot of indiscipline in the last 3 months .

http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/18/580570 and  http://ugpulse.com/ugandan-community/forums/thread/3092.aspx

 

 In a recent survey of the schools and the students , the following has been found out:

Pupils taught by female teachers perform better than those taught by male teachers, according to a report released by UNEB on Friday. the report based on a national survey says that schools headed by female teachers perfomed better than those headed by their male counterparts

http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/583097  

TIICA:

The question now is --- how successful has the start of USE been and does the government really have the funds for the USE or was USE put up as a political  thing to excite the massses give NRM the votes for ushhering NRM into another kisanja?

GOVT changes the USE funding  http://www.ugandaobserver.com/new/news/news200708092.php How will the Ministry of Education handle the issue of school strikes that have shown a lot of indiscipline in the last 3 months http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/18/580570 and  http://ugpulse.com/ugandan-community/forums/thread/3092.aspx

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 And recently the minister of Education complained that the 6000 teachers who had been posted to the USE schools had declined their appointments thus leading to the chaos in the education sector and leaving one wondering if the  children will ever get the good start of the USE as sang for by the top politicla leaders

WHO IS TO BLAME ----- and WHO ARE THE SABOTEURS OF USE -- are they known?

http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/21/584112

 

 

Report any Fraud - says UNEB and deploys 10, 000 UNEB Scouts

But corruption seeems to be the order o the day in Uganda ..... and now they are worried that there might be cheating in the exercise of the UNEB exams? may be ===== did you read about the 200 Makerere degrees to be cancelled because there was malpractice somehow and somewhere?

 

Despite the heavy rains and the floods and inspite of the preparations for CHOGM, the Uganda national Examinations Board UNEB has said it is going ahead with the national exams as scheduled by the UNEB.and UNeb scouts have beenearmarked and sent out to make sure that there are no malpractices in these examinations.

S4/UCE. Exams begin Moday 12 October 2007   = 194,911 candidates    = 2,700 UNEB SCOUTS

P7/PLE. Exams will be held November 5 and 6th. = 444,020 candidates   = 6,000 UNEB SCOUTS

S6/UACE. Exams begin November 12                  =  86,630 candidates   = 1,000 UNEB SCOUTS

 Read more     http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/591570

http://www.sundayvision.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=7&newsCategoryId=128&newsId=591809

 

 

Its time for  UNEB exams again for P7, S4 and S6.

read more     http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/591570

http://www.sundayvision.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=7&newsCategoryId=128&newsId=591809

SUCCESS TO ALL CANDIDATES.

I do believe we are aware of what our brothers and sisters in the north and east are going through. And according to the Met department, the Western region is to be hit as well come November. The current emergency situation puts students in the affected areas at a great disadvantage given that

• Their classrooms have been swept away
• They have no access to scholastic materials and their study material is virtually destroyed
• The teachers are in no state to provide the necessary guidance as they too are working to provide their families
• etc

In my opinion, special circumstances require special attention and the students in these areas should be given an extension period in which they shall prepare for the exams and UNEB should prepare special exams to match the circumstances.

If the students in those areas are placed on the same level as those in the central or western region, I fear, none of them will qualify for promotion to the next grade. 

SENIOR four examinations got underway countrywide yesterday with the announcement of a 10-day break in November.
Candidates doing the Advanced Level examinations will be interrupted between November 16 and 26, the period within which Uganda will host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kampala. The Uganda National Examinations Board and the Ministry of Education confirmed yesterday that exams would be suspended during that period because there is no clear idea of what to expect.

 

 UNIVERSAL UNIVERSITY EDUCATION!!!!!!!! http://Ugpulse.com/articles/daily/news.asp?ID=4408

                                       I have read with amusement the politics that is entering Education sector of Ugandaand fail to see the rationale behind the NRMs consistent or is it inconsistent plunging into education sysyte of Uganda.

                                      The 1996 Presidential Election Campains brought in  M7s NRM pledge for UPE= free Universal PRIMARY Education for the kids who have not had chance to get education and saw it was that as He won the elections, yaaa the UPE began in 1997 but began with a liot of problems and failures som much so tha by now the DONORS are threatening to withdraw funding for this UPE because it has come to reality that of those who join  UPE in P1 the first year of primary education, its only about 40% who are reaching P7 and sitting for the PLE exams. What went wrong and waht happennied to the heavy funding being poured into the UPE... its corruption and the funds are just EATEN away  by the top and middlemen inthe govt and inthe education sector.

                                     The 2006 Presidential Election campains brought in the NRM offer of USE=free Universal SECONDARY Education for the UPE graduates and the masses clapped hands in the hope that their kids would get free education since M7 was saying = Muzaale , Bonna Basome. Give birth to as many children they willal get the free education.Haaa.!!! Then there is the sytem of automatic promotion from P1-P7 and then when they sit for UNEB PLE exams then out 0f the many candidates , few are able to join the newly introduced and politically flavoured USE Universal Secondary Education because the kids must have passed with at least a grade 7, 7, 7, 7 in Maths, English. SSt, andScience =28 aggregates in order to qualify for the entrance into the USE. its a fact that many kids both in the towns and more so in rural areas did not manage to get the 28 agg and had may be the 8888, or 7899, or the 7788 thus missed going to the USE schools and when the Headteachers gave them admission the MoEducation  Head Count exercise had them go out of USE schools saying that thye did not qualify for the scholarships>AMAZING AND AMUZING!!. And so those kids went to private secondary schools where again they annot afford to pay the fees. the USE is having problems because funding is not forth coming and again the infrastructure is not there to cater for the many kids that have turned up

                                   In both cases of UPE and USE the quality of Education is very questionable as we can see more and more parents taking their kids to private schools for better education of their kids.... EDUCATION WITH QUALITY.

                                 And now with the 2011 Presidential Campains coming -- there is talk of the 4th Term and because of the OIL DICOVERY IN Bunyoro and may also be in West Nile Region...... there is the excitement again that the oil boom can be of great help to give free UNIVERSAL UNIVERSITY EDUCATION = UUE. ................ is this politically motivated idea? how viable is it and will NRM seriously invest in that UUE. How sure are we that the oil money will be used well and will not be EATEN BY THE CURRUPTION  insect that is eating away our society especially in the political spheres????

See how Universal University Education is in plan  http://ugpulse.com/articles/daily/news.asp?ID=4408  

 

Thanks to UNEB

THE PLE RESULTS for 2007 ARE OUT AND ITS TIME AGAIN FOR PARENTS TO SEE WHERE THEIR KIDS MAY GO FOR SECONDARY EDUCATION AND FOR MANY PARENTS ITS TIME FOR THEIR KIDS TO JOIN THE UNIVERSAL SECONDARY EDUCATION.

 .....last year 2007 when the 2006 Uneb PLE results came out this is what i said ......

TIICA:

The UPE progam has helped a lot of the peasants in their struggle to educate their children to attain te basic skills of primary school education. The parents who could afford to pay for their children have been sending them to private primary schools with the hope that they can get good results at the end of the Primary Leaving Examinations. In the past it has been that some parents in the villages would then give fees to educate the boys and leave out the girls, in the struggle to give secondary education to their children. I think this will have to change since now there is the chance for the peasant to take their daughters to the Universal Secondary Education program.. BUT WILL THEY DO SO? I think this at last is the chance to advance the education of the girl child in rural Uganda where that chance has not been very visible. It has come to my notice that most pupils who are in primary schools are girl , there seems to be more girls than boys at least in some schools. All the more to support the GIRLS EDUCATION MOVEMENT that has been set up by the UNGEI.. United Nations Girls Education Initiative.How can the local community be sensitized to positively respond to  this innitiative in line with Ugandas USE Universal Secondary Education for Bonna Basome Siniya?

Thanx a lot Tiica.

It would be interesting to find out how many children in Bunyoro's UPE schools scored well enough to gain entry into good high schools and how many will actually make it into tertiary institutions of education. Any idea Tiica?

PLE results were released, but its evident UPE has affected the performance and that shows the quality of students being rolled out. The top performing schools in e.g. Kampala are now Private schools and yet before schools like Kampala Parents, Buganda Road, Nakasero, Shimoni used to take the top slots.

Basing on the Kampala District PLE results, the only UPE school with the highest no. of students in division one was Kibuli Demonstration School with 89 passing with first grade out of 151 students, Nakasero Primary School had 157 first grades out of 331 students. The current UPE schools used to perform better, but since the standards are now low so it has hugely affected the schools and i doubt if USE will make any change. USE will infact dwarf the already underperforming avialable government secondary schools.

See KAMPALA DISTRICT PLE RESULTS

 

Kaks

yes the PLE reults are out and as you have seen in the media its the private schools doing much much better that the govt sponsored UPE schools. its a shame that with so much money beingpoured into the UPE program of BONNA BASOME   or its should be better phrased as BONNA BAGAGGAWALE MU MAGEZI, the results are poor.

Bu what has also been noticed is that the town and city schools  have done better than the rural schools because thereis more supervision and both the School administration and headteacher and teachers and Parents see value of education and they invest a lot of time and money and other resources for the achievement of the good grades in their children. But in many upcountry schools there is a lot os absenteeism by both the teachers and the students I guess the morale is very low for most of these teachers and students and thus contributing to poor grades.

There is also the issue of automatic promotion from P1-P7 and then by end of P7 by PLE that the one who has not passed with total aggregate 32 (8 x 4 subjects) will not go to USE. so a lot of ids just give up and do not even bother tto sit for PLE exams although they have registerd for these exams. For most of these kids school is booring activity and they spend the whole day hungry no brrakfast and no lunch  and again its the long distances they are walking perday say 6 miles from home and 6 miles again back home = 12 miles x 5 days = 60 miles a week x 4 weeks = 240 mls a month  x 3 months a term and thats 720 mls then x 3 terms year = 2160 mls  a year. and to do this for 7 years and be told no going to SINIYA because you have failed PLE !!!! then the kid ask why is it that from P1-7 when he got poor grades nobody said it was not good for promotion to the next class?? we have a wrong education sysytem and in the end we are to harvest what we are planting in the so called much poloticised UPE of BONNA BASOME or better still BONNA BAGAGGAWALE MU MAGEZI GESOMERO!!

How absurd!!!!!!!!

PLE%%%%%%% 100% %%%%%%%  100%%%%%  100% %%%%%%%  100% %%%%%%%%

 

kakokoolo:

Thanx a lot Tiica.

It would be interesting to find out how many children in Bunyoro's UPE schools scored well enough to gain entry into good high schools and how many will actually make it into tertiary institutions of education. Any idea Tiica?

Thanx Tiica. I always knew that when you feed rubbish into an education system, all you get out of it is rubbish. The gov't crams our priceless youngsters into skools and fails to pay teacher's salaries, provide scholarstic materials, build proper classrooms,  etc and then expects miracles out of them!

 

Thanks to 

the Uganda National Examinations Board = UNEB for releasing the S4/07UNEB exam results

Some highlights so far:

- 1500 results cancelled

- S5 to report by Feb 18

- Boys perfomed better than girls

- First UPE group sat for S4 Exams

http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/609580

http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/S_4_results.shtml

http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/Senior_five_classes_to_begin_on_February_18.shtml

http://www.newvision.co.ug/I/8/263

 

 

Its time again
for the students to do the end of primary school PLE and end of Secondary school UCE and UACE exams by UNEB

Museveni want that there be double shift to absorb the many kids going to school
But do the schools have the man power and infrastructure to handle this proposal?

A lot of teachers who finished teachers colleges have not been hired and have not been put on the pay roll?

Success to the candidates and of course that means more students next year in S1 and S5

Tiica And Kaks thanks for the input on our Poor Education as it is but You kinda remind me the Adage, Garbage in Churns Garbage out. This somewat aptly paints the picture of Ugandas Education System. The President only tells what is news to his Voters Ears. Bsically the Educ Ssm is Bogged down by too many students, too few scholastic marterials, Demotivated Staff and general negligence which is suicidal for this country.

I mean look at the Proffesionals we are churning out? Cant Market themselves much as the job field is exhausted and basically do even know what the Mkt out for jobs is even! Oh those that have done well are lawyers, Doctors and teachers, But what about ?Hospitality gurus, Procurement specialists, Cardiovarscular Surgeons? its not because these guys are not bright to do those courses but rather no career guidance! God help this nation but other wise we need an overhaul of the wholesystem and thats what Museveni should be focusing on before Double Shifts!

The 2008 UNEB P7 or PLE Exam Results are out

And the report is that the performance this time was not good at all
There is a decline in performance and the town schools did better than the rural schools ---AS USUAL!!!!
The girls did poorly as compared to the boys

www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/More_candidates_fail_2008_primary_exams-78358.shtml

www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/668319

NOW what happened?? and what happened to the universal primary education UPE? why the big number of failure especially among the girls? What of the Universal secondary education.(USE)... it the few who will join S1 in 2009

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

 

butterfly:

Tiica And Kaks

thanks for the input on our Poor Education as it is but You kinda remind me the Adage, Garbage in Churns Garbage out. This somewat aptly paints the picture of Ugandas Education System. The President only tells what is news to his Voters Ears. Bsically the Educ Ssm is Bogged down by too many students, too few scholastic marterials, Demotivated Staff and general negligence which is suicidal for this country............................. God help this nation but other wise we need an overhaul of the wholesystem and thats what Museveni should be focusing on before Double Shifts!

The 2008 UNEB P7 or PLE Exam Results are out

And the report is that the performance this time was not good at all. There is a decline in performance and the town schools did better than the rural schools ---AS USUAL!!!! The girls did poorly as compared to the boys

www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/More_candidates_fail_2008_primary_exams_78358.shtml

www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/668319

 

MORE P7 CANDIDATES FAIL THE 2008 PRIMARY LEAVING EXAMS (PLE)?????

NOW what happened??
and what happened
to the once aclaimed good in put and out put in schools of free Universal Primary Education UPE? why the big number of failure especially among the girls? What of the free Universal Secondary Education.(USE)...  and as a result, now it a few who will join S1 in 2009................again the chance for higher education for girl is limited if their performance is that bad at P7. Many of those failure candidates may never go back to school to repeat P7 though its free because  for the las 7 years of the childs education, from P1-P7 ther was the AUTOMATIC PROMOTION (of Bonna basome) of going to the next class even if you got  04% 0r 08 % 0r 12% out of 100% per subject whether the child passed or not and now at the end of P7 one finds that the Senior one entrance door to USE the door is slammed and one is closed out because the once known  and publically if not politically shouted for automatic promotions are no more: WHOSE FAULT really now??? And what is the way forward for the nation and for the education system in Uganda now?

 

Teachers absenteism was one of the culprits reasons for failure. However my suspicion is poor organising capabilities by poor schools and the stench of poverty in families of the candidates eg Gulu results.

PRIMARY school teachers have argued that poor performance in the just released 2008 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) was due to the high level of English used in the setting of the examinations. More...

They are expected to know that level of English. A well organised candidate with time table, maths set, pocket money, text books, lunch etc.