PLE: Bridge Schools get 93% in Grade 1 and 2

BRIDGE: The school’s best performing PLE pupils were from the eastern part of the country

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  In its pioneer year of Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), Bridge International Academies registered a notable performance where 93% of its pupils passed in Grade 1 and Grade 2.

In the PLE results released on Jan 12, girls in the Bridge schools registered an even much better performance where 95% of the girls passed in Grade 1 and Grade 2.

Of its pioneering 46 students, 5 passed in Grade 1(4-12 Aggregates), 39 passed in Grade 2 (13- 23) and 2 in Grade 3. Bridge Academies 93% pass rate was well ahead of the national figure of 56% who passed in the top two grades.

Bridge officials said they were surprised because their best five students were based in the eastern part of the country which had the worst performance in the 2017 PLE results released last week. They said Bridge hopes to build on this performance this year as more pupils enroll in the schools.

Dada Jane Nabutere, at Bridge Academy Malaba in Tororo district was the star of the Bridge schools with 9 Aggregates. Bridge officials say Nabutere has been topping her class since she joined Bridge.

The Bridge pupil gave a hint of some of her dreams. “I want to be a civil servant like my dad when I finish school and maybe even a minister one day. Now it is possible and I would never have achieved this without Bridge” she said after getting her results.

The second best student Rogas Wandera, in Bridge Bugiri scored 11 aggregates. The third best student, Denis Isabirye at Bridge Bugiri scored 11 aggregates. Benedict Bamuzibire and Jennifer Asinde who both scored 12 were studying at Bridge Buwenge in Jinja District and Bridge Rubongi in West Budama, Tororo district respectively.

Commenting on Bridge’s PLE performance, Morrison Rwakakamba said the results show that teachers at Bridge are doing a good job. “This shows fantastic dedication, passion and hard work by our teachers who are consistently delivering a life changing education for children in some of the most challenging environments in Uganda,” he said.

Rwakakamba also said the performance was proof that Bridge teaches the Ugandan curriculum.

He also thanked First Lady and Minister of Education Janet Museveni for the support she gave to the school last year and added that children from all communities can achieve academic success if given the right opportunities.

Bridge runs 63 academies in Uganda and has over 12,000 pupils attending school.

Bridge had a relatively calmer year as its first batch of Primary Seven candidates sat their PLE papers, this coming after 2016 which was dominated by court fights, accusations and counter accusations between the government and the schools.