Improved performance : schools set to raise year’s S.1 cut-off points

Improved performance : schools set to raise  this year’s  S.1 cut-off points 

KAMPALA. Due to a reported improvement in performance at the distinction and credit levels in the PLE exams released on Thursday , top schools in Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono and other major municipalities that performed well are likely to raise  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 performed well but don’t fall in the top 50 category, are expected to  maintain or  relax last year’s  entry points.

According to 2014 PLE results released yesterday, of the 585,620 candidates who sat   for  the exams 516,861   passed, representing 88.2 percent. Of these (516,861)    , 60,956 passed with first grade compared to only  52,786 candidates last year .Another 253546 passed in Division Two , 127350 in Division Three and 75,009 in Division Four . A total of 68759 candidates completely failed the exams while 60,3408 were absent . This means those who failed the exams do not qualify for government sponsorship under secondary fee education scheme which is going into the ninth year of its implementation. A primary Seven candidate is deemed to have passed the exams if he/she garners between 4-28 aggregates.

Usually, government schools take all candidates with aggregate between  4 to 28.

But Mr Yusuf Nsubuga  , the Ministry of Education director for basic and secondary education , yesterday said the cutoff will be determined by an automatic computerized system and that it will depend on the performance of candidates who applied in that

Particular  school. The selection of Senior   entrants is expected to be conducted between January 29-30 at Kampala International University main hall .

He said the cutoffs are likely to be stiff for some schools following an improved performance at even at the district level.

“Cutoff points likely to be stiff for some schools because districts which performed poorly last year have improved this year,”

Mr Nsubuga   said:“The cutoffs will increase according to the degree of performance. But this will be minimal. Some will remain the same while others will improve,” he said.

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  

Mr Julious Rwabinumi   , the father to Joshua Rwabinumi  , a former pupil of Naalya Hillside P/S  who scored aggregate 5 said the latter put St Mary’s College –Kisubi  as his first choice but if he fails to get admitted ,she will instead try Uganda Matyrs SS, Namugongo .

Due to a slight decline in performance in 2014 , many schools maintained the 2013  entry points or lowered  their cut-off mark   . 

Last year(2014), a total of  481,530 candidates were selected to join Senior One –meaning 13,309 students missed out though they were eligible . Of these, 20 per cent were from non-Universal Primary Education schools.

However , the figure was lower than 163,087 who missed admission in 2013.

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 a school can also wriggle out of the maximum depending on the available  facilities   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 .

2014 SENIOR ONE CUTOFF POINTS FOR SELECTED SCHOOLS
	Boys	Girls
Trinity College, Nabbingo		6
Kings College,Budo	4	6
Makerere College	6	6
St Mary’s College-Kisubi	5
St Mary’s Kitende	4	5
Mt. St. Mary’s Namagunga		5
Gayaza High School		5
Kibuli SS	6	7
St Peters Nsambya	8	9
Gombe SS	7	8
Mityana SS	16	16
St M Kalemba SS Kayunga	10	12
Misanvu SS, Bukomansimbi	24	24
Y.Y Okot Memorial College	19
Busoga College , Mwiri	8
Jinja SS	6	7
Wanyange Girls		10
Nabumali High School	11	13
Teso College Aleot	12
Budini SS Kaliro		15
St. Peter’s College,Tororo	10
St.Paul College	11	12
Kisoko HS Tororo	17	18
Bugwere HS Budaka	13	15
Kamonkoli College Budaka		15
Masaka SS	9	10
St Paul’s College Mbale	12	13
Luzinga SS Kamuli	20	22
Balawoli SS kamuli	20	24
Kayoero SS Busia	28	28
Kagulu SS iganga	20	20
Mbale SS-	15	17
Masaba SS	13	15
Bukedi College Kachonga	15	18
Butaleja SS	15	20
Mbale College	11	12
St. Joseph’s College Layibi	8
Sacred Heart Secondary School		9
Ntare School	6
Immaculate Heart		7
Mary Hill High School		8
St Mary’s College Rushoroza	8	10
Mbarara HS	6
Kigezi High School	7	8
Bweranyangi Girls SS		8
St Leo’s Kyegobe	8
Kashaka Girls		12
Kigezi College Butobere	19
Kyeizooba Girls		9
Kibubura Girls		12
St Paul’s SS Bukinda	19	20
Kinyasano Girls Rukungiri		12
Bwogyera Girls S Ntungamo		15
Muntuyera High School	8
Nyakasura School	10	11
Ruyonza School	11	13
Makobore High School	12
Lango College	16
Nganwa High School	12
St Aloysius College Nyapea Nebbi	25	25
Masheruka Girls		10
Kitunga High School	8
St Charles Lwanga,Koboko	19
St Joseph’s College ,Ombachi	13
Kotido SS	28	28
Target College	20	22
Kitgum HS	23	23
Arivu SS	21	26
St. Mary’s College, Lacor	20	28
Dr Obote College	9
Ssaku SS ,Wobulenzi	13	14
Kennedy SS ,Kawuku	15	15
Mityana Town SS	15	16
Ndejje SS	6	7
Namilyago College	6
Hornby High School	20
Kakungulu Memorial -Kibuli	10	10
Angal SS-Nebbi	19	25
Lubiri SS	10	10
Bukoyo SS	11	13
Old Kampala SS	11	13
Vurra SS-Arua	17	22
Aringa SS	23	28
Aluka  SS	28	28
Pakhadha Seed SS-Zombo	28	28
Entebbe Airfoce SS	22
Bulucheke  SS	20	24
Ngora Girls		15
Kotido SS	16	27
Ivukula SS	28	28
ST Joseph SS Kyankwazi	13	13
Nyabubale SS	11	14
St Joseph SS Vubya	27	27
St James SS and Voccational	25	27
Busanza SS	25	25
Muramba SS	28	28
Nkoma HS	26	27
Kaliro College	27	27
Iganga High School	12	14