15,000 Teachers Fail Exams: Decline in Overall Student Performance in 2021 Grade III Exams

Nakasero - The results of the 2021 Grade III Teachers’ Certificate in Primary Teacher Education Examinations were announced last Friday at the State House in Nakasero, revealing a mixed performance by students compared to the previous year. Professor Elly Katunguka, the Vice Chancellor of Kyambogo University, presided over the announcement and shared insights into the examination outcomes.

While the overall performance showed a decline in 2021 when compared to 2020, it's important to highlight that all subjects in the 2021 exams achieved an impressive pass rate of 97 percent.

One standout improvement was observed in English Language Education, where students achieved a remarkable pass rate of 99.80 percent, a substantial increase from the 94.7 percent recorded in the 2020 Grade III Exams. However, there was a concerning decrease in the performance of students in Mathematics education, with a pass rate of 75.24 percent, down from a robust 96.0 percent in the previous year.

The number of distinctions awarded in 2021 dwindled significantly, with only 130 distinctions, accounting for 2.3 percent of the results, compared to 411 distinctions awarded in the 2020 Grade III exams, representing 4.63 percent. Furthermore, the percentage of credit passes also saw a decline, with only 64.8 percent (3,616 candidates) passing in 2021, compared to 79.19 percent (7,024 candidates) in the 2020 Grade III exams.

A noticeable decrease was observed in the number of candidates who just passed, dropping from 63 (0.71 percent) in 2020 to 40 (0.7 percent) in 2021. On the other hand, a significant number of candidates faced difficulties in 2021, with 1,586 (28.4 percent) failing, in contrast to 922 (10.39 percent) who failed in the previous year. Additionally, 204 candidates (3.7 percent) in 2021 received ungraded results, as opposed to 450 candidates (5.07 percent) in 2020.

Amidst the mixed results, there were shining stars in the 2021 Grade III exams. The top-performing candidate was Mugisa Tumwine from St. Augustine Butiiti PTC in Kyenjojo District. Tumwine achieved an aggregate score of 13 out of a possible 9 in nine subjects and received an ‘A’ in school practice, showcasing exceptional academic prowess.

Zainabu Owokunda from Bikungu PTC in Bushenyi District emerged as the highest-ranking female candidate overall. She secured an aggregate score of 14 out of a possible 9 in nine subjects and received an ‘A’ in school practice, earning her a well-deserved overall distinction.

These individual success stories amidst the challenging overall performance highlight the dedication and potential of Uganda's future educators. As educators and policymakers reflect on these results, they will likely seek ways to address the disparities and challenges faced by students in various subjects to ensure a brighter future for the education sector in the country.

The Standard News