The Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) has released the long-awaited results for the pioneer senior four candidates of the new O-level curriculum launched into schools in 2020.
The release yesterday at State House Nakasero also included results for the last set of candidates under the old curriculum at senior four. At least 359,417 candidates were registered as the first cohort for the examination. Of these 177,133 (49.3%) were males, while 182,284 (50.7%) were females.
Some 136,785 (38.1%) were beneficiaries of the Universal Secondary Education (USE) program and 222,632 (61.9%) were private. Of the total candidature, 357,120 (99.4%) candidates sat the examination while 2,297 (0.6%) were absent. While presenting the results, the Uneb executive director, Dan Odongo, noted that the overall results showed that at least 350,146 (98.05%) candidates who sat qualified for the award of the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) certificate.
However, the board observed that performance in science subjects remained low, especially in Physics, and Chemistry and English language. Exceptional levels of achievements were noted in Art and Design, History & Political Education, Agriculture, and Mathematics.
The reports from scorers (previously called examiners) indicated that in the Science practical assessments, candidates were expected to use a given scenario and materials provided to develop aims and a hypothesis, plan and carry out investigations, and draw conclusions.
“The main problem observed is the failure of candidates to interpret the scenarios, or connect the scenarios and the materials supplied to real-life situations, or interpret the results of the experiments carried out and create meaning connected to everyday situations. Candidates that appear not to have been guided properly tried to use recall to respond to the scenarios,” Odongo said.
In English and other foreign languages, Uneb observed inadequate vocabulary; inability to paraphrase (use own words without copying directly from a given text) in summary writing; and use of inappropriate examples in comprehension texts or literature analysis. However, in languages where speaking was part of the assessment, candidates demonstrated a fair understanding of the given scenarios and responded fairly.
Odongo said that the challenge that cuts across all subjects was the difficulty candidates showed in linking scenarios to problem-solving in real-life situations.
“This competency is at the core of the curriculum and implies that teachers need to do much more to guide the learners towards this focus,” he said.
Whereas this is a competency-based curriculum, the board registered 64 cases of examination malpractice involving 948 candidates. Of the cases, 883 were in sciences and only 65 in arts subjects. Odongo said the cases were mostly reported in the science practical papers, with Physics still being the most affected subject.
In science cases, Uneb has overwhelming evidence that the candidates were given experimental results by teachers merely to copy as the work done did not relate to results recorded in practicals.
“GOOD CURRICULUM”
Just like the public had wondered how the pioneer candidates would transit to the next level, the Uneb chairperson, Prof Celestino Obua, said that the board had also silently agonized about the fate of the learners.
“We had to contend with skepticism from sections of the public, wondering whether Uneb would deliver the results. As a result, our experience gained through interaction with the teachers, learners, and some parents, we can say with confidence that this is a good curriculum,” Obua said. He added: “Any new change, no matter how positive, will always have its doubters, skeptics, pessimists and even conspiracy theorists.”
The reporting achievement levels of candidates have changed from the old system of awarding distinctions, credits, passes, and fail to letter grades A, B, C, D, and E.
A candidate must score at least a D in one of the registered subjects to qualify for a UCE certificate. Currently, the minimum number of subjects a learner takes at O-level is eight, and a maximum of nine subjects. All candidates who qualified for the award of the UCE certificate have their transcripts and certificates presented with a title; Result 1.
Candidates who did not sit for some compulsory subjects, or did not sit for a minimum of eight subjects, or have no project work scores do not qualify for certificates and their transcripts will have a title; Result 2. Result 3 has been indicated on transcripts of candidates who did not meet the minimum level in all the subjects – these candidates have achieved only level E in all subjects taken.
Candidates with Result 2 and 3 respectively shown on their transcripts do not qualify for a UCE certificate. In deciding to adopt the letter grades format, Obua explained that the board considered several options such as ensuring that the report/transcript/result slip must be simple for all stakeholders to understand.
The descriptors – explanations of the meaning of the grades – have also been presented in a way that depicts what the holder of the certificate can do. Uneb is yet to determine the fate of candidates who didn’t qualify for certificates whether they have an opportunity to repeat under the new curriculum such as starting afresh in senior one or repeating senior four only as their continuous assessment scores and project work that form part of the final marks will have expired.
In response, the Education ministry permanent secretary Dr Kedrace Turyagyenda said: “We have not yet decided how to handle repeaters under the new curriculum but we shall soon communicate to the public after discussions with Uneb and NCDC. This is a new curriculum and we are not static to change.”
OLD CURRICULUM RESULTS
The one-off examination was conducted based on the now-defunct O-level curriculum for those who had missed the last 2023 examination or those who wanted to improve their grades. Uneb won’t assess more candidates under this curriculum. At least 10,141 candidates from 1,028 centers registered for this final old curriculum examination. Of these, 813 were beneficiaries of USE and 8,929 were private.
Of the registered candidates, only 9,742 (96.1%) sat while 399 missed the examination. Uneb results showed that of the 9,742 candidates, only 80 passed in division one. 503 candidates passed in division two, 1,710 in division three, and 5,820 in division four while 1,629 failed the examination and have no opportunity to repeat the examination as had been the case.
With a new curriculum at O-level, those who failed can either use their primary seven results to take on vocational courses or start afresh in senior one under the new curriculum. Overall, male candidates performed slightly better than their female counterparts. The board also registered few cases (about 200 candidates) who engaged in malpractice informs of external assistance and impersonation.
The results have been withheld pending the invitation of the affected candidates to the Uneb examination security committee for further investigation.
EMBRACE NEW CURRICULUM
While releasing the results, the first lady and Education minister, Janet Museveni, urged the public to embrace the changes introduced in the new curriculum.
“I know, we have, for a long time been used to aggregates and divisions leading to ranking of schools. This was always a source of very unethical practice by many schools to survive in unhealthy competitions that had developed. I am happy that the NCDC and UNEB have now come up with a new approach that eliminates ranking candidates by divisions attained,” Museveni said.
She also warned schools to desist from all forms of public display of individual learner academic results. Museveni cited provisions within the Data Protection and Privacy Act, Cap 97 that prohibits the publication of personal data of children including publicly disclosing the names, photographs, and individual grades of learners on boards or other publicly accessible platforms.
This, Museveni said, exposes such learners to harassment, stigma, and emotional distress. Uneb urged all heads of examination centers to study the result lists and submit any queries to the board secretariat via their portals within 15 working days from yesterday’s release of results. Queries submitted after that period may not be attended to.
Meanwhile, the selection for senior five class of 2025 will take place on February 20 and 21 while the reporting date for first term is March 3, 2025.
nangonzi@observer.ug