Girls’ Biology scores excite Janet, lists 5 key takeaways
Left to right: Uneb Executive Director Dan Ondongo, Uneb Chairperson Prof Celestino Obua, First Lady and Education minister Janet Museveni, and State minister for Higher Education John Chrysostom Muyingo during the release of the 2023 UACE results at State House, Nakasero in Kampala on March 7, 2024. PHOTO/FRANK BAGUMA
What you need to know:
The Education minister says schools should analyse reports of Uneb on what is not going well and why candidates have been failing certain subjects, especially Biology.
Five key issues yesterday dominated the speech by Education and Sports minister as she released the 2023 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) exams results at State Lodge Nakasero in Kampala.
The high points by Ms Janet Museveni included increased number of students who complete A-level, improved performance in Biology, and girls continuously outshining boys.
Exams results from the 2023 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) show that female candidates performed better than their male counterparts at the principal level pass in all subjects.
However the male candidates beat their female peers in Agriculture, Chemistry, and Biology.
Ms Museveni, who released the results at the Nakasero State Lodge in Kampala yesterday, said, “I am pleased to note an improvement in Biology at UACE, as well as a marked rise in Principal Passes at this level. This is commendable.”
“In the past, this important Science subject had not been done well, for whatever reasons. My hope is that by addressing the areas of concern that UNEB publishes annually, this improvement will be sustained,” she said.
Data from 2023 UACE exams show that a total of 19,934 students passed Biology, with 40 of them scoring A, representing 0.2 percent of the candidates who sat. Those who scored between A and E were 9,010, representing 45.2 percent, with 17,562 of the students had scores falling between A and 0, representing 88.1 percent.
A total 17,994 students passed the same subject last year.
Ms Museveni said the excellent performance of girls demonstrates that they have the potential but are most likely prevented by gender stereotypes from realizing their full abilities. “Therefore our system must figure out ways of enabling the girls to realise their full potential,” she said.
“It is my hope and prayer that head teachers and teachers take seriously the feedback from UNEB. In order to sustain these gains, we need to see more commitment from our teachers. Please be there for the learners and ensure you provide them with both the theory and the practical skills they must learn,” Ms Museveni said.
The increased number of students who completed A-level, compared to previous one, also excited the minister. Of the 110,553 candidates who registered for the 2023 UACE exams, 109,448 turned up for the exams, with 108,452 of them passing and qualifying to join universities and other tertiary Institutions.
“I am pleased to note that the inexplicable decline in candidature, which we have been observing in the past, has been reversed with a very significant increase of over 12,000 candidates,” she said.
“This is the way it ought to be, since we are witnessing a steady increase in candidature at the two lower levels, which should translate into an increase at this level as well,” she added.
Ms Museveni reiterated her guidance for repeaters of Senior Four class who will retake their one-time off transitional 2023 UCE exams under the old curriculum this year. “I thank the Board [Uneb] for adjusting the timetable for the transitional examination as I guided. This should give adequate time for the registration of our young people, who would wish to take advantage of this opportunity.
“We are grateful to God for the positive UACE results, but as we expect many students to join Universities, which are commendable aspirations. But there are many equally rewarding opportunities in other tertiary institutions like technical colleges and health training institutions, which I urge you to consider.”
“I encourage those of you who have not performed to your expectations not to despair or give up. There is always another opportunity so keep yourself safe and healthy so that you can pursue alternative possibilities,” Ms Museveni added.
She called upon head teachers in government schools that performed poorly in 2023 to step up and offer clear leadership in order to reverse the trend.
The minister did not, however, speak about some key issues affecting the sector, including the school fees crisis, salary increments for Arts teachers, and hardships in implementing the new Lower Secondary School Curriculum, among others.
