Sarah Nakabuye, the Head Teacher Masaka School for the Deaf-Ndegeya observes that unlike in the previous years, the candidates are upbeat of scoring good grades, because they have had a rare opportunity to fully comprehend the questions that were set by UNEB.
Primary seven candidates with special needs at Masaka School for the Deaf-Ndegeya, in Masaka City are optimistic for improved performance in this year’s Primary Leaving Examinations-PLE, owing it to a substantial minimization in their levels of vulnerability.
The school registered eight candidates with hearing impairment (commonly referred to as deaf) who have written their final exams set by the Uganda National Examination Board-UNEB.
The candidates started their exams on Wednesday with Mathematics and concluded with English on Thursday.
Sarah Nakabuye, the Head Teacher of Masaka School for the Deaf-Ndegeya observes that unlike in the previous years, the candidates are upbeat of scoring good grades, because they have had a rare opportunity to fully comprehend the questions that were set by UNEB.
According to her, all the candidates have been able to get the necessary support in form of sign language interpretation and transcription, which ably responded to their respective challenges.
She explains that UNEB allocated the center with six support personnel who helped to interpret the questions from the complex English to elementary sign language; hence removing the usual communication barriers that have always frustrated the deaf candidates and affecting their results.
She indicates that in some incidences, UNEB has been sending sign language interpreters whose level of competences do not rhyme well with candidates’ abilities hence the clash.
The candidates who also spoke through their head teacher noted that that majority have had a chance of answering all the questions in examination papers within UNEB’s stipulated time.
The UNEB policy gives a special consideration to candidates with special needs by allocating them extra 45 minutes beyond the time their other counterparts are allowed to write the same exam.
Nakabuye is positive that the improvements witnesses in this year’s examination exercise can enable the candidates with special needs to score good grades, which in turn can also be an encouragement to their other colleagues to complete education.
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Grace Ndagano, who acted as the UNEB center coordinator also observed that the arrangement in the examination rooms was favorable to the candidates despite the hearing impairment.
She explains that in addition to the required support personnel provided by UNEB, the center allocated the deaf candidates with ample sitting space and special meals, which boosted their morale.
Notably, special needs candidates have repeatedly been ranked among the worst performers according to UNEB results.
