Senior One selection starts today

PIC: Normally, the selection exercise is attended by all headteachers across the country. (File photo)

KAMPALA - Selection for Senior One students is slated to take place today at the Uganda Manufacturers Association premises in Lugogo.

It is expected that the leading schools will tighten the cut-off points for Senior One admission following the increase in the number of candidates who excelled in the 2016 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE).

The selection exercise attended by all headteachers across the country is scheduled to take two days.

During the 2016 PLE, more candidates passed with distinctions and credits, compared to the previous year.

With the improvement in scores, there are more candidates who passed in divisions one and two. Last year, there was a slight decline in the entry points, since there was a general decline in the number of candidates who excelled in the national examinations.

A number of headteachers interviewed on Monday were non-committal on the S.1 entry cut-off points.

However, a survey carried out by New Vision revealed that most leading schools were setting their cut-off points at between aggregate 4 and aggregate 6.

Criteria

Presently, in Uganda PLE has four examinable subjects — English language, mathematics, science and social studies.

The best possible mark pupils can achieve is a total of four (which means one point (a distinction in each subject), while the worst is a total of 36 (nine points for each subject, which means a failure).

According to UNEB, pupils with scores between aggregate 4 and 12 pass the PLE with a first grade or in division one.

Those with scores between aggregate 13 and aggregate 23 get a second grade (division two), 24 to 29 get a third grade, while those with 30 to 34 pass with a fourth grade.

Under the selection criteria, a candidate who is not admitted to the school indicated as his first choice usually goes to the school he chose as his second choice, depending on his score.

Schools usually give priority to candidates who chose them as the first or second option.