Prime
Janet directs UBTEB to close illegal technical institutions
Uganda's first lady and education minister Janet Museveni addresses youth during the National Youth Convention at Kololo Independence ground on October 13, 2023. PHOTO/DOROTHY NAGITTA
What you need to know:
- In her speech read by the State Minister for Primary Education, Dr Joyce Kaducu, during the release of UBTEB May/June examination results, Ms Museveni expressed concern over the numerous technical and vocational institutions operating illegally across the country, saying the government must act.
The Minister of Education and Sports, Ms Janet Museveni, has directed the Uganda Business and Technical Examination Board (UBTEB) to withdraw the examination centres of illegal technical institutions, effective January next year.
In her speech read by the State Minister for Primary Education, Dr Joyce Kaducu, during the release of UBTEB May/June examination results, Ms Museveni expressed concern over the numerous technical and vocational institutions operating illegally across the country, saying the government must act.
She emphasised that starting next year, UBTEB will withdraw the examination centres of all technical and vocational institutions operating illegally, which will prevent them from registering students for exams.
“I instruct the Permanent Secretary and the technical team inspecting TVET training institutions to ensure that all institutions comply with the ministry’s registration and licensing requirements within six months,” Ms Museveni said.
“Any training institution that fails to comply with this directive will have its assessment centre number withheld by UBTEB,” she added.
Ms Museveni was pleased to learn of the increasing number of female candidates in TVET programmes.
A total of 1,694 candidates sat for the May/June examinations, with 880 (52 per cent) being female from 220 centres across the country.
UBTEB Executive Secretary Onesmus Oyesigye reported that of the 1,694 candidates who sat the examinations, 1,468 (87 per cent) passed while 226 (13 per cent) failed and will have to repeat.
He noted that the competence qualification rate was 79 per cent for female candidates and 95 per cent for male candidates at the diploma level, with no significant difference in performance at the certificate level between the two.
“While this is generally good performance, it shows that males are still slightly outperforming their female counterparts. We call for continued affirmative action in terms of scholarships and support mechanisms for the girl child,” Mr Oyesigye said.
The board acknowledged an increase of special needs education trainees, after registering 84 candidates in the examinations.
Meanwhile, the examinations of 34 candidates have been cancelled due to malpractice, with the board citing the smuggling of unauthorised materials and mobile phones into the examination rooms as well as impersonation as the most common vices.
Ubteb conducts three sets of examinations in a year and the second batch of students are sitting for their examinations slated to end this month.
