UGANDA – A total of 17,214 candidates will not join university education after they failed to attain a minimum of two principal passes required for admission.

 

Out of the 99,847 candidates who appeared for the UACE examinations released yesterday, a total of 2,202 failed the examinations and are required to repeat Senior Six if they are to continue with their academic careers.

Furthermore, a total of 15, 012 candidates acquired one subsidiary pass of an O which represents only one point in the UACE grading system.

According to the outgoing Uneb executive secretary Mathew Bukenya, a total of 25, 833 acquired one principal pass ( E) and with two subsidiary pass levels they can be admitted to other tertiary institutions.

Dr Yusuf Nsubuga, the director in charge of Basic education at the ministry, said those who have failed are encouraged to repeat.

 “But those who have failed with a subsidiary pass can use their O-Level results to be admitted to technical schools and they can do very well,” said Dr Nsubuga.

“Even if you did History, you can join a technical institution and do very well and I am encouraging them to do so,” he added.

Dr Nsubuga also hinted that under a new programme at the Ministry of Education called the Non-formal education and training, students can learn non-formal skills like baking and knitting.

 “Today, we have the vocational qualification framework, where one can acquire a few moderate certificates and later upgrade to a diploma and can later be admitted even to university for a degree award,” he added

However, results indicated that 56, 656 candidates acquired at least 2 principal passes, a minimum required for university admission, with 29, 714 getting three principal passes and 26,807 candidates registering two principal passes.

February 13, 2016; http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/More-17-000-fail-qualify-university-admission/-/688334/3074412/-/139xhoyz/-/index.html