UNEB releases 2008 A'level results
Feb 26, 2009
A TOTAL of 57,510 candidates who sat the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) last year qualify to join public universities, according to the results released yesterday.
By Fortunate Ahimbisibwe
and Conan Businge
A TOTAL of 57,510 candidates who sat the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) last year qualify to join public universities, according to the results released yesterday.
The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) secretary, Matthew Bukenya, said out of the 89,921 candidates, 65% got two principal passes, up from last year’s 63.7%. Two principle passes are the minimum for joining university.
However, education minister Namirembe Bitamazire said while releasing the results at the ministry headquarters, that the Government would continue sponsoring only 4,000 students at university while the others would join other tertiary institutions as well as private universities. The five public universities are Makerere, Mbarara, Kyambogo, Gulu and Busitema.
All universities can only take 25,000 students, meaning that more than 27,000 will miss university admission. Bukenya said the number of candidates rose from 86,632 in 2007 to 89,921 in 2008.
“This is a substantial number and we are glad that more candidates continue to complete Senior Six,†Bitamazire noted.
Although arts subjects were performed better than sciences, the Government will continue focusing on sciences-based courses, she said. The Government scholarships will continue allocating 75% to science courses.
History, Economics, Christian Religious Education (CRE), Geography, Literature in English, Kiswahili, French, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology were the best performed subjects in that order. Bukenya said boys continued to outperform girls.
“Female candidates performed better than males in CRE, Geography, Literature, Kiswahili and foods and Nutrition, while male candidates performed better in Economics, Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology,†he said.
Most rural districts continued to fare poorly. For instance, Amuru had the highest failure rate of 9.2%, Lira 5.2%, Pallisa 4.3%, Bundibugyo 3.6%, Moyo 4.3%, Adjumani 4.9%, Gulu 4.2%, Masindi 4.4%, Kapchorwa 3.7% and Mayuge 2.8%.
However, some rural districts posted many candidates with four principle passes. Budaka had 78.9%, Bududa 78.4%, Kaabong 77.4%, Amolatar 77.3%, Bukedea 77.1, Sironko 76.9, Moroto 55.5%, Busia and Ibanda 74.7%. Nakapiripirit and Katakwi districts did not have any candidates in A’level. The traditional schools, as has been the case in the past, outgunned their rural counterparts.
Government-aided schools also maintained better performance than private ones. The results of 73 candidates were cancelled over examination malpractice such as impersonation and smuggling of materials into examination rooms.
Bukenya said some schools admitted students with poor grades at the end of Senior Four, which affected their performance in A’levels.
“Questions that require calculations, no matter how elementary, give candidates a lot of difficulties,†Bukenya noted.
The traditional schools have continued leading with majority of their candidates dominating the government sponsorship scheme. They are Namagunga, Budo, Kisubi, Namilyango, Gayaza High, Nabisunsa, Makerere College, Kawempe Muslim, Katikamu SDA, Ndejje, Kibuli, Gombe and Namugongo.
and Conan Businge
A TOTAL of 57,510 candidates who sat the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) last year qualify to join public universities, according to the results released yesterday.
The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) secretary, Matthew Bukenya, said out of the 89,921 candidates, 65% got two principal passes, up from last year’s 63.7%. Two principle passes are the minimum for joining university.
However, education minister Namirembe Bitamazire said while releasing the results at the ministry headquarters, that the Government would continue sponsoring only 4,000 students at university while the others would join other tertiary institutions as well as private universities. The five public universities are Makerere, Mbarara, Kyambogo, Gulu and Busitema.
All universities can only take 25,000 students, meaning that more than 27,000 will miss university admission. Bukenya said the number of candidates rose from 86,632 in 2007 to 89,921 in 2008.
“This is a substantial number and we are glad that more candidates continue to complete Senior Six,†Bitamazire noted.
Although arts subjects were performed better than sciences, the Government will continue focusing on sciences-based courses, she said. The Government scholarships will continue allocating 75% to science courses.
History, Economics, Christian Religious Education (CRE), Geography, Literature in English, Kiswahili, French, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology were the best performed subjects in that order. Bukenya said boys continued to outperform girls.
“Female candidates performed better than males in CRE, Geography, Literature, Kiswahili and foods and Nutrition, while male candidates performed better in Economics, Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology,†he said.
Most rural districts continued to fare poorly. For instance, Amuru had the highest failure rate of 9.2%, Lira 5.2%, Pallisa 4.3%, Bundibugyo 3.6%, Moyo 4.3%, Adjumani 4.9%, Gulu 4.2%, Masindi 4.4%, Kapchorwa 3.7% and Mayuge 2.8%.
However, some rural districts posted many candidates with four principle passes. Budaka had 78.9%, Bududa 78.4%, Kaabong 77.4%, Amolatar 77.3%, Bukedea 77.1, Sironko 76.9, Moroto 55.5%, Busia and Ibanda 74.7%. Nakapiripirit and Katakwi districts did not have any candidates in A’level. The traditional schools, as has been the case in the past, outgunned their rural counterparts.
Government-aided schools also maintained better performance than private ones. The results of 73 candidates were cancelled over examination malpractice such as impersonation and smuggling of materials into examination rooms.
Bukenya said some schools admitted students with poor grades at the end of Senior Four, which affected their performance in A’levels.
“Questions that require calculations, no matter how elementary, give candidates a lot of difficulties,†Bukenya noted.
The traditional schools have continued leading with majority of their candidates dominating the government sponsorship scheme. They are Namagunga, Budo, Kisubi, Namilyango, Gayaza High, Nabisunsa, Makerere College, Kawempe Muslim, Katikamu SDA, Ndejje, Kibuli, Gombe and Namugongo.