Poor performance :schools set to maintain year’s S.1 cut-off points

Poor performance :schools set to maintain  year’s  S.1 cut-off points 

AL-MAHDI SSENKABIRWA

assenkabirwa@ug.nationmedia.com

KAMPALA. Due to a reported decline in performance at the distinction and credit levels in last year’s PLE exams, top schools in Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono and other major municipalities that performed well are likely to maintain last year’s  cut-off points for Senior One entrants .

Traditional well performing schools like Kings College Budo,  Mt. St. Mary's Namagunga, Namilyango College, St. Mary's College Kisubi, Kibuli SS and Gayaza High among others, their cut- off points are expected to be competitive between Aggregate 4   for boys and 5 for girls as it was last year. This will be driven by the overwhelming number of candidates seeking admission . But other schools that perform well but don’t fall in the top 50 category ,are expected to  relax the entry points.

According to 2013 PLE results released Friday , of the 494,839 candidates who passed the exams , only  52,786 passed in Division One ,representing 9.4 percent .This indicates a reduction  in the number of candidates passing in Division One by 6,368 compared to  59,154 in 2012. Another 247,507 passed in Division Two ,125,292 in Division Three and 68,554 in Division Four while 86,604 completely failed .

All candidates who scored above aggregate 28, and are totaling 86,604 do not qualify for government sponsorship under secondary fee education scheme which is going into the eighth year of its implementation. A primary Seven candidate is deemed to have passed the exams if he/she garners between 4-28 aggregates.

They can only join private institutions. Usually, government schools take all students with aggregate between  4 to 28. The ministry of education after the release of the results on Friday that the 2013 Senior One cutoffs will be made public next week at selection exercise to be conducted at Wonder World Kansanga , Kampala between February 7 - 8.

Most school heads talked to couldn’t give what they project to be their cut-offs ,saying it was premature since government had not processed the computer sheets reflecting their cut-off marks.

“ It will be a lie to say that this is our cut-off  now for this year  because they are determined by  the ministry and  we are simply at  the receiving end but performance is a big determinate in this ,” said Mr Micheal Mpiima , head teacher Ssaku SS-Wobulenzi  

Ms Mary Elogu  , the mother to  Isaac Elogu , a former pupil of Naalya Hillside P/S  who scored aggregate 4 said the latter put St Mary’s College –Kisubi  as his first choice but if he fails to get admitted ,she will instead try Namilyago College  .

Due to a slight decline in performance in 2011 , many schools maintained the 2010  entry points or lowered  their cut-off mark   .
The first term for continuing students opens Monday   while Senior One students will report on February 24, according to the education ministry.

Last year, a total of  316,980 candidates were selected to join Senior One out of the 880,067 who were eligible . Of these, 20 per cent were from non-Universal Primary Education schools.

This means that at least   113,455 students missed admission despite having garnered the required aggregate for admission.

In 2011, a total a total of   275,990 students were selected to join Senior One, compared to 390,000 in 2010 while in  2009  the number was 320,860  .

How cut-off marks are determined:
 Cut-off points for any given school are determined by the ministry of education basing on the number of candidates who sat for the exams . The Ministry sets the cut-off points using an automatic computised  system that allocates students according to general performance ,first choice preference of pupils but school can also wriggle out of the maximum depending on the facilities  at has and students  who choose it as first choice.
The rest, even if they fall in the bracket of admissibility are ‘sold’ to other schools during selection exercise .

Provisional Cut-off points for selected schools per region
CENTRAL REGION
SCHOOL	BOYS	GIRLS
Kings College,Budo	4	5
St Mary's College-Kisubi	5	0
Mt. St. Mary's Namagunga		5
Gayaza High School		5
Kibuli SS	6	7
WESTERN REGION
Ntare School	6
Mary Hill High School		6
Kigezi High School	7	8
Bweranyangi Girls SS		8
St Leo's Kyegobe	8
NORTHERN REGION
Lango College	12
St Charles Lwanga,Koboko	19
St Joseph's College ,Ombachi	13
Kotido SS	28	28
EASTERN REGION
Busoga College , Mwiri	8
Wanyange Girls		10
Nabumali High School	11	13
Teso College Aleot	12
St. Peter's College,Tororo	11

SCHOOL	BOYS	GIRLS
St Paul's College Mbale	12                13
St Maria Goretti Katende		8
St M Kalemba SS Kayunga	12	10
Namilyango College	5
Nyakasura School	10	11
Kyebambe Girls		10
Bishop Kivengyera Girls		14
St Mary's College Rushoroza	8	10
Kigezi College Butobere	19
Masaka SS	9	10
Kyeizooba Girls		9
Kibubura Girls		12
St Paul's SS Bukinda	19	20
Kamonkoli College Budaka		15
Kinoni Girls		14
Kashaka Girls		12
Mityana SS		16
Gombe SS	7	8
MaryHill HS		7
Mbarara HS	7
Makerere College	6	7
Kinyasano Girls Rukungiri		12
Bugwere HS Budaka	13	15
Budini SS Kaliro		15
Trinity College Nabbingo		6
St Aloysius College Nyapea Nebbi	25	25
Muntuyera High School	8
St Peters Nsambya	8	9
Bwogyera Girls S Ntungamo		15
Christ the King Kalisizo Rakai		11
Kisoko HS Tororo	17	18
St Peters College Tororo	10
Kinaawa High-Mugongo	13	13
Ssaku SS	14	14
Our Lady of G C		8
Immaculate Heart Nyakibala		8
St Peters College Tororo	11
Baptist HS Kitebe	15	15