The Uganda National Examinations Board has released the 2017 Uganda Certificate of Education results which showed much general improvement in performance compared to 2016. A total of 326,212 candidates sat the final Senior Four Examinations from 3,332 centers across the country. “Performance of candidates shows an improvement compared to that of 2016 with a percentage of candidates passing in division one at nearly 10% up from 7.5% in 2016.” Said, Mary Okwakol – Chairperson, UNEB.
In the breakdown of results, 31,338 candidates passed in division one, 53,665 candidates in division two, 70,797 candidates in division three, 131,600 candidates in division four while 27,955 candidates failed the exams. With 24.7% Mukono district had the highest percentage of candidates passing in division one, others included Wakiso with 21.8%, Kampala with 19.3%, Mbarara with 16.8%, Masaka with 16.5%, Kalungu with 15.3%, Butambala with 13.8%, Rubirizi with 13.3%, and Luweero with 12.9%. As the trend has been in the recent years, districts in Eastern Uganda have recorded the worst performance while the National Failure rate was at 8.8%. Twelve districts recorded twice the failure rate with 9 of them from Eastern Uganda. They are: Bukwo with 28.6%, Butalejja with 28.3%, Bundibugyo with 28.7%, Kween 22.3%, Kapchorwa 22.2%, Bulisa 21.9%, Bulambuli 21.5%, Pallisa 20.2%, Sironko 19.6%, Busia 18.8%, Kasese 18.0% and Bududa 18.0%.
Students returned very poor scores in science subjects with biology and physics as the worst done subjects. The Executive Secretary of the Uganda National Examinations Board Daniel Odongo attributed the huge failure in sciences to teachers who failed to integrate the teaching of theory with practicals. “The candidates are very ill-equipped. Basic principles that are required in understanding sciences, for example, the mole concept in chemistry, the proper use of scientific symbols are lacking. And these severely affect performance.” Said, Daniel Odongo – Executive Secretary, UNEB.
Meanwhile, results of 4,525 candidates from 112 centers were withheld on suspicion that they engaged in examination malpractice. Police arrested 81 people suspected to have involved in the malpractices while 49 of them were charged in Court. “We observed that the overwhelming form of malpractice experienced was the assistance given to the candidates by the third parties. Other forms of malpractice such as collusion of candidates copying from one another, smuggling of unauthorized notes.” “We must protect the integrity of our examination system and certification if we must be globally competitive and respected. Examination malpractice is like cancer which if not dealt with will spoil and destroy our education system and compromise the quality of our human resource at all levels.” Said, Chrysestom Muyingo – State Minister of Higher Education.
Ahead of the exams last October some of the question papers were leaked on social media platforms like what’s app. Some of the schools with withheld results and the number of affected results included Nile High School in Kiyunga district with 257 candidates, Kajjansi Progressive SS in Wakiso with 253 candidates, Nkuutu Memorial College in Iganga with 252 candidates, St. Peters SS Bombo Kalule Luweero with 158 candidates, St. Benedict Tororo in Tororo district with 143 candidates, Kasaalizi SS in Nakasongola with 140 candidates, Itanda SS in Iganga with 139 candidates, Mbale Progressive in Mbale with 81 candidates, Mulusa Academy in Luweero with 85 candidates and Midland High School Kawempe in Kampala with 24 candidates. The Ministry of Education has set 14th and 15th February for the schools' selection exercise to pick students for admission to Senior Five or Advanced Level.
