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Luwero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Fifteen headteachers in Luwero district are in trouble over the poor performance of their schools in Primary Leaving Examinations.
According to the PLE results for Luwero, 1085 (6.8%) candidates failed and 288 (1.8%) candidates didn’t turn up to sit examinations out of 16162 candidates that registered in 2024. About 1756 (11.11%) candidates passed in division one, 8977 candidates passed in division two,2805 (17.7%) candidates passed in division three and 1250 candidates.
The Luwero District Education Department has listed the worst performing schools as Kyanukuzi UMEA Primary School where 13 out of 20 candidates failed, Nakabululu Primary School where 11 out of 29 candidates failed, St Stephen Kyetume where 8 out of 16 candidates failed and Nyimbwa Primary School where 11 out of 21 candidates failed.
Other schools are Muwangi P/S where 11 out of 21 candidates failed, Kisazi P/S where 15 out of 22 candidates failed and Malungu P/S where 21 out of 66 candidates failed among other schools.
Yusuf Kamulegeya the Luwero District Inspector of Schools said that the headteachers of the listed schools will be summoned to account for the candidates who failed or were absent during the examinations before disciplinary action is taken.
Kamulegeya said that although the total of candidates that failed reduced from 1263(8.8%) candidates in 2023 to 1085 (6.8%) candidates in 2024, the district is still concerned high rate and that they need answers from the headteacher.
Erastus Kibirango the LCV Chairman of Luwero District said that he has already interacted with some headteachers who blamed the failures on candidates registered from other non-UPE schools and parents’ laxity but these are not enough reasons for defence.
Kibirango said that the headteacher must account for each candidate that failed or missed PLE and if the defence is not satisfactory, they will be sent to the Sanctions and Rewards Committee to face disciplinary action for incompetency.
Kibirango reiterated the district council resolution that parents in all schools must pay for lunch fees for their children to ensure this is no longer an excuse by headteachers to fail.
Reverend Canon Mephibosheth Musisi, the Luwero Anglican Diocesan Secretary said that four out of 15 listed schools are founded by the Church of Uganda and they are equally concerned about the failure rate of learners.
Musisi said that they also want the headteachers to provide a report on subjects that learners failed most and factors that contributed to it.
Musisi said that they intend to task every headteacher to fill up an appraisal form provided by the church to evaluate their performance and those who fail to meet the requirements will be recommended for removal from their schools.
But Muwajuma Namutebi the Headteacher of Kyanukuzi UMEA Primary School blamed the poor performance on the rampant absenteeism of teachers and the failure of parents to offer support to the learners.
“Challenges are already known by the Education department and will explain the same when summoned. I have issues with absent teachers and I already informed my bosses to take action on them” Namutebi said.
Other headteachers blamed poor performance on the lack of accommodation for teachers making it difficult for them to attend to all lessons.
Denes Sekabira the Katikamu North Member of Parliament attributed the poor performance to teachers’ shortage, especially in UPE schools and President Yoweri Museveni’s directive blocking headteachers from forcing parents to pay lunch fees for their learners.
Sekabira said a candidate who doesn’t eat lunch can’t concentrate in class and these are the same pupils who fail because they don’t complete the syllabus.
From 2014 to 2024, at least 10829 candidates that sat PLE have failed and it’s unknown whether these repeated primary class or dropped out of school to venture into petty jobs.
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