The Uganda National Examination Board has released the 2019 Primary Leaving Exams with Social Studies and English as best done subject.
The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni released the exams at Kampala Parents’ School.
Ms Museveni called on both parents and teachers to uphold their roles in educating children. She also cautioned schools against malpractice especially pre-registration of the learners. She also announced UMA Hall Lugogo as the selection centre for S.1
UNEB also registered a decline in Mathematics and Science as the worst done subject.
A total of 695, 804 candidates from 13, 475 centres or schools registered for PLE in 2019 and out of this number, 473,893 accounting for 68.2 per cent were from Universal Primary Education (UPE) while 221,912 accounting for 31.8 per cent were from private centres.
In both English and Mathematics performance was poor in questions where candidates were required to apply knowledge in problem solving situations or express themselves freely. Candidates were more comfortable with questions that are direct and based on recall. This situation has persisted over the years. The reports from Examiners, however, indicated that there is an improvement in candidates’ handwriting. Candidates also organized and presented their work more clearly even when the answers are wrong. The number of candidates scoring zero has also reduced greatly compared to previous years.
UNEB indicated an increment in the enrollment of PLE candidates in 2019 as compared to 2018 with an increase of 23,881 (3.6 per cent) as compared to previous year which had 2.4 per cent.
UNEB also reported an increase in the number of learners with special needs at 1,315.
The Examination board also announced a total of 617,150 candidates to have passed the 2019 PLE as compared 599,593 in 2018. The best blind candidate is Ainamani Arthur Rwakitara from Grand Masion primary School Nabbingo in Wakiso district who obtained aggregates 9 in division one.
Overall Performance
A total of 39.182 (11.9 per cent) boys passed in division one as compared to 30.061 (8.5 per cent) girls.
UNEB has withheld results of 1,512 candidates pending investigations.
“The board has sought and obtained approval the Minister in accordance with section 4 (3) of the UNEB Act to withhold results of about 1,512 candidates pending completion of investigation”