By Acen Tracy Oiko
Following the release of the 2022 Primary Leaving Examinations’ results by the Uganda National Examinations Board on Friday, 27th January, Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) shared it’s view on how to improve the performance of pupils.
Research shows that of the pupils that sat PLE last year, there is an increment from 1.7% (12,819) in 2020 to 2.5% (20,844) in 2022 who registered but did not turn as per UNEB statistics.
With an increase in the number of registered pupils that fail to sit their examinations, UPC said that the safety of learners needs to be catered for by arresting the various vices of domestic violence, child abuse, torture, defilement, rape, teenage pregnancy and early marriages.
The vices aside, Arach Oyat Sharon, the UPC spokesperson pointed out that the learning environment of pupils differs in terms of financial standing.
“The over enrollment in most of the schools with poor learning facilities has violated the ideal teacher – pupil ratio and pupil – textbook ratio of 1:30 and 1: 1 respectively except in international schools that are out of reach for our parents or guardians,” she said.
Arach said that such ratios are a reminder that mobilization of more resources for the education system at primary school level are needed to enhance the learning environment.
“Produce enough skilled teachers, build more classroom blocks and face lift the existing structures as well as securing the right type and quantities of textbooks,” Arach suggested.
The Uganda People’s Congress strongly encourages the Ministry of Education to borrow a leaf from the Ministry of Health that has National Medical Store (NMS) as an independent agency with a budget to supply medicine to Government health outlets across the country, despite the gaps.
