Schools set high S.5 entry points
Feb 09, 2010
ENTRY into A’level is likely to be stiffer because top schools performed well in last year’s O’levels. Most traditional academic giants posted more candidates in grade one than they did last year.
By Conan Businge
ENTRY into A’level is likely to be stiffer because top schools performed well in last year’s O’levels.
Most traditional academic giants posted more candidates in grade one than they did last year.
Experts say if such candidates wish to return to their school for A’levels, it would make it harder for new-comers to join Senior Five as they would need to have better grades. This will inevitably raise the cut-off points, the experts argue.
The road to a prestigious school will be even harder since equally more candidates scored distinctions in the major Senior Five entry subjects. Such a situation means that schools will be picking only the exceptionally good students from the many who qualify, making the cut-off marks harder to attain.
Last year, some of the top schools stopped admitting students at aggregate 12 for the best eight subjects. For instance, Namagunga stopped at 12, Kisubi, 13, Namilyango College, 15, Gayaza, 15, Kings College Budo, 11 for boys and 14 for girls, Namugongo, 13, Nabisunsa stopped at 16 points and Ntare at 15. This year, these schools are likely to raise their Senior Five entry mark.
However, many government-aided and private schools upcountry are likely to lower their cut-off points since they suffered a decline in performance compared to 2008.
According to the results released by the examinations body, UNEB, Kisubi passed all candidates in first grade. Namugongo followed with 99.5% of all its candidates passing in the first grade, Budo (97.9%), Namilyango (95.6%) and both Gayaza and Nabbingo passed 94% of their candidates in division one. Out of 214,207 candidates, 16,205, or 7.6%, passed in division one and 9,405 (about 6%) failed.
Head teachers are expected be begin picking admission documents ahead of the selection exercise which starts at the Mandela National Stadium in Namboole in Kampala tomorrow.
A total of 203,092 students are expected to join Senior Five and tertiary institutions this year. The first term for Senior One and Senior Five begins on February 15.
ENTRY into A’level is likely to be stiffer because top schools performed well in last year’s O’levels.
Most traditional academic giants posted more candidates in grade one than they did last year.
Experts say if such candidates wish to return to their school for A’levels, it would make it harder for new-comers to join Senior Five as they would need to have better grades. This will inevitably raise the cut-off points, the experts argue.
The road to a prestigious school will be even harder since equally more candidates scored distinctions in the major Senior Five entry subjects. Such a situation means that schools will be picking only the exceptionally good students from the many who qualify, making the cut-off marks harder to attain.
Last year, some of the top schools stopped admitting students at aggregate 12 for the best eight subjects. For instance, Namagunga stopped at 12, Kisubi, 13, Namilyango College, 15, Gayaza, 15, Kings College Budo, 11 for boys and 14 for girls, Namugongo, 13, Nabisunsa stopped at 16 points and Ntare at 15. This year, these schools are likely to raise their Senior Five entry mark.
However, many government-aided and private schools upcountry are likely to lower their cut-off points since they suffered a decline in performance compared to 2008.
According to the results released by the examinations body, UNEB, Kisubi passed all candidates in first grade. Namugongo followed with 99.5% of all its candidates passing in the first grade, Budo (97.9%), Namilyango (95.6%) and both Gayaza and Nabbingo passed 94% of their candidates in division one. Out of 214,207 candidates, 16,205, or 7.6%, passed in division one and 9,405 (about 6%) failed.
Head teachers are expected be begin picking admission documents ahead of the selection exercise which starts at the Mandela National Stadium in Namboole in Kampala tomorrow.
A total of 203,092 students are expected to join Senior Five and tertiary institutions this year. The first term for Senior One and Senior Five begins on February 15.