UNEB Attributes Increase in 2020 PLE Candidates to Registration of P.6 Pupils

The Uganda National Examination Board-UNEB has attributed the increase in the number of candidates recorded last year to the registration of learners in primary school.


Data from the examination body shows that for the first time in its history, a total of 749,761 learners registered for exams in 2020, showing a 7.75 percent increase. In the past, UNEB has registered an increase of 2.5 percent. The increase was applauded by both UNEB and the Ministry of Education and Sports.


However, a survey carried out by UNEB shows the high number of candidates registered was as a result of some schools in Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono registering female learners in primary six to sit for the examinations.


The revelation was made during the release of results for the 2020 examinations on Friday at State House Entebbe. While UNEB and the Ministry of Education applauded the increase in the number of candidates recorded, a study carried out shows that increase was noted because some schools registered candidates in primary six.

Mary Okwakol, the UNEB board chairperson, says a study carried out to find out why they had registered its highest number of candidates, revealed that some of the registered candidates were in primary six.

According to Prof Okwakol, many of the learners were registered a year early because their parents were worried about fast growth patterns associated with girls.

//Cue in: "Statistics on registration...

Cue out...school soon."//


Despite the increase being looked at as a good thing, some educationists that Uganda Radio Network spoke to are not in support.

Dr Jane Egau, a senior educationist, and also the Director of Higher Technical Education and Training at the Ministry of Education says that the curriculum is set in a way that every class content counts for the desired competencies at a given level.

"If a student is bright, she can catch up as she or he moves up. But if that is not the case, then this might become a problem at the higher levels," she said.





Dr Kadrace Turyagyenda, Director of Education Standards at the ministry of education, notes that it has been a common practice where learners in better-performing schools are registered for the examinations in other schools.

She adds that there is a need to have critical study and action-based research on these children.

"Now that UNEB has carried out a study to identify this challenge, we should use that data to study this issue. We need to find out how these students performed," Dr Turyagyenda said.

According to UNEB, a total of 749,761 candidates registered for the examinations. As many as 659,910 candidates passed the exams compared to 617,150 in 2019.