Government ranks private schools

By Conan Businge

The Government has released a ranking for 2,073 private secondary schools after a  countrywide study.The Afroeducare Limited, contracted by Government ranked the schools in five groups of Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver and Bronze.

In the Phase One of the ranking, no school hit the Platinum level, nine  were awarded Diamond,104 in the Gold level, 413 in Silver and 1,547 in the last category-Bronze.

There are about 3,500 private secondary schools, but only 2,073 have been considered in the first phase. The director of secondary education Yusuf Nsubuga yesterday said phase Two is underway,

Top in  the Diamond category are: Green Hill Academy, Seroma Christian High School, Hilton High School and Tororo Progressive. The other five schools: St. Lawrence campuses of London, Horizon, Paris Palais, Creamland, and Crown City.

Launching the report yesterday, in Kampala, the education minister Jessica Alupo said the Government will in future rank all the 1,200 Government-aided schools.  “This will save parents from being duped by some schools, and also improve the quality of schools,” she said.

For a school to be ranked in Platinum, it must be excellent. “It should exhibit excellent implementation of the standards of quality. Standards should be fully integrated, effectively applied and consistently successful over the past five years,” said Collins Tugumisirize, Afroeducare managing director.  He added that such schools guarantees learning success for all students. 

In the Diamond category, such schools are considered outstanding. The standards are implemented; although not consistently, the school has made outstanding progress towards excellence.

Schools ranked under the Gold are considered to have the required standards and they demonstrate a good start to excellence.

“Such schools have started applying best practices and have a capacity to improve,” added Tugumisirize.
Under Silver, such schools attempt at the standards is satisfactory, but they are still lacking. “Weaknesses outweigh the strengths. Such schools demonstrate capacity and commitment to improve,” he added.
Schools ranked under Bronze category are considered not satisfactorily implementing and achieving the standards. However, such schools meet Government’s minimum standards of quality. 
 
Areas assessed

 Commitment to improvement

The school establishes implements and monitors a continuous process of improvement through documenting performance and using these results to improve student performance and school effectiveness.

Student learning programmes
The school adopts an up-to date research-based curriculum, effective instructional methods (teaching) and clearly defined student learning outcomes guaranteeing students progressive learning success at current and future learning levels.

 Student welfare and safety
The school and its staff ensure and prioritise the welfare, health and safety of each student for improving student learning outcomes and school effectiveness.

Governance and management
The school has well-established structures of good governance, leadership and management that promote student-improved performance and school effectiveness.

 Suitability of proprietors, staff
The school has been founded by credible individuals is governed by credible persons and employs sufficient, well-qualified, skilled personnel through a professional transparent process that ensures high student learning outcomes.

Financial sustainability
The school has sound financial systems and practices that ensure sustainable management of financial resources, high student learning outcomes and school effectiveness.

Infrastructure and facilities
The school has adequate physical resources and services necessary support the school’s mission, ensuring high student-learning outcomes and school effectiveness.

Student Social, Spiritual and Physical development
The school provides co-curricular programmes and activities to develop the students’ social, spiritual, moral and physical skills and knowledge enabling them improve their performance and preparing them for future challenges and duties.

Stakeholder communications
The school fosters effective communication and relationships with various stakeholders including parents, the education ministry, student alumni, students and general public aimed at ensuring improved student-learning outcomes and school effectiveness.

 Vision, mission and motto statements
The school establishes and communicates a shared purpose and direction for improving the performance of students and the effectiveness of the school.