“By the powers entrusted to me, I hereby release the examination results.” There were 5,498 candidates who sat for the Public Accountancy of Uganda (CPAU) course examination in June up from the 5,144 who attempted the exam in November 2016. The poor performance saw a pass rate of 35.0% down from 43.6% in the November sitting. The Advanced Financial Reporting was the worst done subject with a pass rate of 13.1% closely followed by Management Decision & Control at 21%, Public Sector Accounting & Reporting at 21.5%, Auditing & the Other Assurance Services at 28%, Advanced Taxation at 23.5%, Financial Reporting at 28.8%, and the Quantitative Techniques at 28.9%.

Releasing the examinations, the President of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda Protasio Begumisa defended the low pass rates as necessary for weeding out the weak from the Profession. “In Accountancy profession, a pass rate of 40% plus is actually very good. If you check even with other bodies, you find the average pass rates are in the 30s or even 25%. So for us, at 40 something, we are doing very well. Of course, there is no harm in making it 50 or even 60% but to settle those who think things are bad, a pass rate in professional accountancy exam of 40% plus is very good.” Said CPA Protasio Begumisa, President ICPA-U. The same low grades were recorded in the Accounting Technician Diploma where the average pass rate was 44.3% down from 48.5% in November and the Certified Tax Advisor course whose pass rate was 42.2% down from 57.3% in November.

Begumisa was concerned that many senior accountants had shunned the classroom depriving schools of worthy teachers. “We discussed this matter here at Council and we agreed that we should find mechanisms for convincing experts in Public Sector Accounting to come to class. The trouble we have is that most people who are very good in these areas are also very good in their offices and they tend to want to do more for their offices than for the profession.” Said, the President ICPA-U. In response to the low grades, the Institute authored study materials that every student had to buy upon registering for the course. “The condition starts with the November 2017 Examinations, we want to be sure that the students preparing for the examinations have accessed to the same basic study materials.” Said, CPA Prof. Simeone Wanyana, Chairperson PAEB. Cumulatively, 2,918 students have completed the CPA course and are thus certified to work in Uganda.