How a vocational path can become short cut to your child's success

How a vocational path can become short cut to your child's success

KAMPALA. For a very long time, vocational education has been considered as a career path for academically weak learners. And it is this negative impression that has made many school going children distaste vocational education. But today, this branch of education is slowly but surely taking root because of the increasing success stories from some individuals who opted for hands-on courses over theoretical learning.

“For a very long time I had intense  loathing of vocational education, but when my elder brother Dominic Kiggundu enrolled  for  a  carpentry course and later became self employed, it  motivated  me to enroll as well and I don’t regret  ,”  Christopher Lukwago    ,30 reminiscences

Unlike Kiggundu who studied carpentry at Mubende Community Polytechnic, Lukwago opted for agricultural training at Mbuye   Farm School in Rakai.

“It shocked my parents when I made such a decision .It took me a month to convince my mother because she wanted me to at least first complete Senior Four before joining a vocational institution,” he says 

Lukwago’s situation illustrates what many parents do when their children tell them to drop the traditional theoretical learning and try the vocational path. But taking the right decision at the right time, Lukwago says it has helped him transform his life.

“ The agricultural course a took ( a junior certificate  in tropical agriculture ) was a big stepping stone and the knowledge I acquired is the one I am currently using to run the farm ,” he says

Lukwago is the care taker his family farm in Mpigi District measuring 20 acres. On the farm, they have 15 acres of pineapples, oranges, and tomatoes, five acres for rearing Friesian cows, kuroiler chicken and goats where he fetches Shs 50million monthly. 

“After paying salaries for the 20 workers and clearing other operational costs, I remain with Shs25million and there are very few office jobs that can pay that,” he says

He says he currently plans to enroll for a diploma in animal production and management and consequently a degree .

Just like in previous years, some students will miss out on joining O’ Level due to limited vacancies or fees.

But business, technical, vocational, education and training institutions (BTVET) can absorb them. Primary 7 leavers can go to community polytechnics and business schools.

These institutions offer practical skills, enterprise-based and on-the job training programmes.

The good news is that most institutions offering technical courses are free. The government pays 220,000 per student under free secondary education in the institutions per term.

Mr Ilahi Mansoor, the assistant commissioner of BTVET, says a person who completes P7 can qualify as a professional in two or three years if they choose a hands-on course. He says many parents are not aware that there are over 30 government technical institutions countrywide that admit P.7 leavers. 

“What many people forget is that taking a practical course enables one to move out of school as a job creator instead of a job seeker,” Mr Mansoor

says.

He says some pupils apply for the courses before sitting P7 while others consider the option after receiving their result. But to be eligible, Mr Mansoor says one must have scored between four and 28 aggregates.

“We encourage our learners to consider this option as first choice,” Mr Mansoor says.

Education minister Jessica Alupo says it does not matter when one attains the skills as long as they can be helpful to shape his or her life.

“The challenge before us is to fight the stigma towards vocational training. Vocational courses are beneficial to very one and we putting more emphasis marketing our programmes,” Ms Alupo says.

Mr Fredrick Ssempala, an education analyst and a strong advocate for technical education says there is still a lot to be done to change the mindset of Ugandans towards vocational education.

“We will not solve unemployment problem without skills. It takes a long time to change the mindset that advocates for going to a secondary school instead of a technical one. But in the long run, that is where we are going. The choice begins at home with parents. It starts at a family

level,” he says.

Vocational schools can change one’s fortunes but poorly funded

There are also 56 BTVET technical

schools and community

polytechnics implementing free

secondary education with 40 being

government-aided while 16

private.

Each community polytechnic

or technical school is expected

to admit 60 new entrants on government

sponsorship but those

with expanded infrastructure

are encouraged to enroll more,

according to Mr Ilahi Mansoor,

the assistant commissioner of

BTVET. This means all the institutions

will enroll 3,360 students.

“We would like to enroll more

but our resource envelope as a

sub-sector has stagnated at 4.5

per cent of the entire ministry

budget,” Mr Mansoor says.

The commissioner says enrollment

in such institutions has

drastically dropped, which he

attributes to lack of career guidance

to students.

“Graduates under this programme

complete their education

when they are still young

(16-18 years) and when they join

employment, they are seen as

minors who cannot do anything,

which is a wrong misconception,”

he says.

Since the introduction of USE

in 2007, there have been calls

from education experts to allow

students choose a career path after

S2. They argue that a learner

would be allowed nine years of

compulsory basic education before

choosing to proceed to S3 or

take a path in vocational training.

Mr Mansoor says a final decision

on whether government will accept

the policy shift will be taken

at a stakeholders’ conference

expected this year.

SOME TECHNICAL SCHOOLS

Namasale Techincal School

Wera Techincal School

Atiak Technical School

Apac Technical School

Inde Technical

Bukooli Technical School

Hakitengya Community Polytechnic

Kitagata Farm School

Lumino Community Poly

Mulagi Voc.Trainning  Inst

Dokolo Technical

St Joseph’s Technical Sch.Gulu

Bobi Community Polytechnic Sch

St Joseph Voc Training Centre Muntume

Poineer Technical Institute

Rweiziringiro Tech.Sch

Kakira Community Poly Tech

Kizinga Technical School

Rukore Community Polytechnic

St Joseph’s Technical Virika

Ssese Farm School

Uganda Society For The Deaf V.T.C

St Joseph Voc.Trn Centre

St Josephs Technical School Kyarubingo

Kihiihi Comm.Poly

Kihanda TechSch

Kapchorwa Technical School

Katakwi Techincal School

Obyen Community Polytechnic

Koboko Technical School

Kumi Techincal School

Ave Maria Vtc

Bowa Community Polytechnic

Namisindwa Technical School

Omugo Techincal School

St Kizito Technical School Kitovu

Bungokho Rural Devt Centre

Mbale M.C Polytechnic

Rwentanga Farm School

Kakiika Technical School

KadogO Community Polytec

Ngugo Technical School

Rwampara Farm School

St Daniel Comboni Polytechnic Naoi

Bukalagi Technical School

Mubende Com.Polytechnic

Nile Vocational Institute

Uganda Honey Bee Keepers

Pacer Community Polytehnic

Acaba Technical School

Pajule Technical

Nagwere Technical School

Ssanje Community Polytechnic

Alupo woos Kyambogo graduates to vote Museveni in 2016

Alupo woos Kyambogo graduates to vote Museveni in 2016

KAMPALA. The Minister of Education Jessica Alupo has urged graduates  who are leaving universities  to vote President Museveni into power again in 2016 ,saying majority of them have been beneficiaries of  the Universal Primary Education (UPE) and other government programmes.

While presiding over the 11^th graduation ceremony of Kyambogo University Wednesday , Alupo emphasised the need by students to apply the skills attained to ensure that they help government  achieve  the much touted Vision 2040.

“Some of you are beneficiaries of NRM education, immunisation and peace and security among others, so we expect a lot of support from you in the coming elections”. Alupo told graduates. It would be his fourth electoral contest as president, having taken power in 1986 after a five-year guerrilla war before winning elections in 1996, 2001 and 2006.

In 2016, Mr Museveni would have ruled for  30 odd years, more than the combined tenure of all Uganda’s former presidents. Apolo Milton Obote who ruled the country twice, was president for under 10 years. 
Mr Museveni has won the last four elections  with a bigger margin ,but three of them have been contested ,with the opposition disputing the fairness of the polls.
A section of NRM MPs and some former ministers who have since fallen out of favour with Mr Museveni have on several occasions said  that the party has lost track of its  key ideals.

A total of 7246 students are graduating with certificates, diplomas, bachelors masters and Phds in different disciplines from the university in a three days exercise with 211 graduates  attaining 1^st class degrees.

Alupo also noted that the NRM government is committed to improving education and that’s why it has set aside Shs 75 billion for Kyambogo University to establish laboratories and train staff. She also reiterated government’s commitment  to have all professors in public universities paid a monthly salary of Shs 15 million in the next financial year of 2015/2016.

When meeting Makerere University top management last year ,Mr Museveni said government will increase allocation for salaries of teaching staff in all public universities from the previous Shs180 billion to Shs300 billion and  students will only be meeting utilities like water and electricity not contributing to their lecturers' pay,as a way of averting endless students’ strikes at the institutions.

However ,the university vice chancellor Prof Eli Katunguka reminded government that Kyambogo still grapples with the challenge of under capacity and poor welfare which  has slowed the morale of many staff .

“The current establishment is still below 4 percent  and the university has continued to rely on part time staff  who are very  difficult to manage. The university council and management shall continue engaging government so that this issue is addressed”.  Katunguka added.

Meanwhile ,Kyambogo has unveiled nine new courses to enhance research. These include; PhD  in Food Technology, Masters in Food Processing Technology and Masters in Animal Production among others.

Uganda’s public universities have over the past two decades or so experienced under-funding which has some how affected effective delivery of services especially in the area of Research.

Government’s priority of resource allocation to, and within, education sector is more towards primary and secondary education than higher education. So, both   universal primary and secondary education programmes are adding upward pressures on higher education, but government has always appeared to be ill-prepared to address this challenge.

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

St Savio emerges top to redeem past glory

St Savio Kisubi Primary School emerged the best in this year’s PLE results, redeeming its past

Pupils at St Savio primary school Courtesy photo

Kampala. 
St Savio Kisubi Primary School emerged the best in this year’s PLE results, redeeming its past glory as one of Uganda’s best performing primary schools.

The school has in the last five years been edged out of the 10 top slots.
PLE results released on Thursday show St Savio at top position after all its 123 candidates passed in Division One. The school dislodged Fairways Primary School, Kireka which was number one last year.

Other schools which made to the top 10 include Hormisdallen Mixed, Bright Grammar and Victory Learning Centre. All these are found in Masaka Municipality.

The ranking is based on each school’s performance in Division One, in comparison to the total number of candidates who sat examinations at the school.

According to Mr Isa Matovu, an educationist, many old academic giants will continue to lose ground if they don’t secure better facilities and highly motivated staff as is the case in most private schools nowadays.

Some of the surprises among top 10 included; Kitooro Hill View in Lwengo District and St Cecilia in Kabale, who are appearing for the first time among the top 10.

Other best performing schools that made it to the top 10 include Margherita Primary School, Kasese, Nabbunga Fountain of Education, Kakai, Pearl Junior Primary School, Bushenyi and Bright Future Primary School Gayaza.

Apart from Namilyago Junior Boys ,Namagunga P/S ,Namilyango Girls and Uganda Martyrs Primary School Masaka, no other notable traditional schools featured among the top 50 performers of 2014. Other traditional giants, including Kampala Parents Schools, City Parents, St. Teresa P/S –Namagunga, Green Hill P/S and Silver Spoon P/S, dropped to places outside the top 50.

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Makindye Junior School which took which took the first top position in 2010, dropped to the 370th position while King Fahad Islamic P/S-Kampala which took the second position in 2009, rested in the 461st position .Lypa Integrated P/S which was in third place in 2012 was pushed down to the 191st position .

Unlike in the previous years , this time round Uneb computed results of pupils under the government’s free education programme, with only 25,517 scoring first grades ,compared to 35,439 in private or non-UPE schools. Majority of the UPE beneficiaries passed in Division Two and Division Three, totaling to 190,634 and 112,384 respectively.

Before the liberalization of the education sector in early 1990s, schools like Buganda Road, Bat Valley, Old Kampala and Nakasero, East Kololo, Shimon Demonstration and Kibuli Demonstration primary schools were top performers, but due to limited funding, poor teacher remuneration and introduction of automatic promotion of pupils, quality of education declined and many parents started shifting their children to private schools to seek better academic standards.

PLE trends since 2009 
PLE 2014 results 
St Savio Kisubi
Hormisdallen, Kampala
Bright Grammar, Masaka
Victory Learning, Masaka 
Kitooro Hill View, Lwengo
PLE 2013 results 
Fairways, Kireka 
Kabojja Junior Sch 
St Cecilia Boarding, Rakai
Rwentobo Prep, Ntungamo
Kenteeko, Isingiro 
PLE 2012 results 
Hillside, Naalya 
KY, Masaka 
Lypa Intergrated, Rubindi 
Green Circle, Fortportal 
Victory Learning, Masaka
PLE 2011 results 
Bright Grammer Pri Sch 
Lohana Academy 
Kampala Parents Sch 
Sir Apollo, Nakasero 
Uganda Kids, Adjuman
PLE 2010 results 
Bright Grammar 
Hormisdallen, Kirinya 
Kihihi Progressive 
Pearl Junior Sch 
Villa Road
PLE 2009 results 
Makindye Junior Sch 
King Fahad Islamic 
Hope Children’s Centre 
Blessed Valley 
St Savio Kisubi