Schools have hiked their entry points for both Senior One and Senior Five students in the ongoing selection exercise that kicked off yesterday in Kampala.
The first batch of heads of schools who kick-started the exercise at Kololo Independence Grounds, attributed the rise to better performance of learners who sat their 2020 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) and Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) exams.
Others like Ms Juliet Atuhirwe, the head teacher of Bweranyangi Girls SS, said they hiked their entry points to limit admission.
She said her school can only admit 200 of the nearly 2,200 PLE candidates that applied for a placement.
“We have sold off more than 2,000 to other schools,” said Ms Atuhirwe, whose school also admitted 140 students in Senior Five.
The schools admitted only those who scored up to Aggregate 7 in PLE and 21 in Senior Five. This is up from Aggregates 8 and 24 in 2019, respectively.
The deputy head teacher of Kiira College Butiki, Mr Fred Isanga, attributed the hike to better performance.
The school consequently admitted PLE candidates who scored up to Aggregate 8 in PLE and up to Aggregate 22 in UCE, from 9 and 23 in 2019, respectively.
The head teacher of Sacred Hearts SS Gulu, Ms Hellen Lamunu, also agreed with her Butiki counterpart.
The school took learners who scored up to Aggregates 12 in PLE and 39 in UCE.
School heads, however, decried the limited time the Ministry of Education allocated them to select learners, with many failing to accomplish the task in one day.
The ministry compelled all head teachers to select all the Senior One and Five students in one day and submit the admission list by 5pm yesterday.
“During the previous selection exercise, we could handle the Senior One class for two days and this was done by more than two people from each school. This year, only one person was permitted to conduct the exercise for two classes in one day, which is impossible,” Ms Lamunu said.
Ms Atuhirwe said she photocopied the selection materials so that she could complete the exercise from home.
Previously, the ministry would conduct both selections on different days.
The Covid-19 pandemic’s effects have informed the decision to conduct the selection for both classes concurrently.
Each school was also required to send one person to conduct the exercise. The exercise is expected to end on Friday with 500 of the 2,000 head teachers allocated each day.
Whereas the Ministry of Education reduced the numbers of attendees, the mandate of social distancing was neglected when teachers lined up to get breakfast and lunch.
The heads of schools — who all returned negative tests for Covid-19 — had their masks on throughout the exercise.
Meanwhile, the Education minister, Ms Janet Museveni, said her ministry is investigating claims that some schools received study materials for learners and failed to distribute them.
“We have learnt that some schools did not hand over the study materials we distributed in the second phase to learners and that the books are still laying idle in these schools. We are following up this issue seriously,” she said.
Ms Museveni also flagged off 19 million copies of study materials for Primary One to Four as well as Senior Five and Six learners who missed out in the first phase.
She asked the targeted schools to go the extra mile and ensure the materials reach intended beneficiaries.
Ms Museveni also asked heads of schools to mobilise their learners above 18 years, teaching staff and non-teaching staff to take Covid-19 vaccination seriously as schools close in on the January reopening date.
She also blamed teachers for failure by parents to send their children to schools with food flasks, saying they have failed to educate the community about their role in the education of their children.
Senior cut-off grades
SCHOOL BOYS GIRLS
Namugongo Seed 25 25
Baale SS 28 28
Bulamugi collEge 28 28
Bondo Army SS 28 28
Kubusa Academcy 28 28
Awacha SS 28 28
Morungatunny Seed 18
Arua SS 18 22
Saad Memorial SS 23 23
Buglumbya SS 28 28
Kaberamaido SS 28 28
Kwera SS 28 28
Kabale SS 15 22
Kisinga Vocational 15 15
KisyoroSS 19 21
Kitara SS 18 20
Kitebi SS 12 13
Chemwania HS 20 25
Sigulu SS 28 28
ChemangaSS 28 28
Kamuleme SS 28 28
Kitgum Matidi Seed 28 28
Karambi SS 15 16
Kamengo SS 21 19
Morulem Girls 26
Mukunyu SS 23 23
Kangalaba SS 28 28
Mutanywana SS 18 18
Nyabbanyi SS 28 28
Mwengura SS 28 28
St Francis Collage 28 28
Inomo SS 28 28
Kanambatiko SS 28 28
Kamurongo 22 22
Kitgum Allaince College 28 28
Kamwenge Collage 28 28
Kamomkoli SS 20 18
St Mary Assumpta SS 24
Sir Tito Winny Tito SS 20 21
St Thereza SS 15
Orum SS 14 16
Kalaki SS 25 25
Kaliro HS 22 22
Kambuga SS 11 28
Kaabong ss 22 26
Kololo SS 16 16
St Paul SS 11 13
Luzinga SS 21 23
Lukome 28 28
Ndorwa SS 24 24
Ndekye SS 20 23
Nganwa Hs 10
Ngarama SS 21 22
Nkutu Memorial 21 21
Nambyeso Seed 28 28
Mmadhvan College 19 19
Nyakiyumbu SS 25 25
Nyakasenyi SS 24 25
Mvara SS 13 16
Masaba College 26 26
Muni Girls 16
Kangulumira 26 26
Mbarara SS 12 15
Lubani SS 20 21
Modern SS Oloke 24 28
Kyenjojo SS 14 14
Micu ss 25 26
Alito SS 27 27
Rubaya SS 26 27
St Pius Nyamasabira 28 28
Okollu SS 27 27
Pope Paul VI 21 24
Nyakinoni SSS 22 22
Koch Ongako SS 28 28
koro SS 21 23
Kuruhe HS 18 23
Kira Collage Butiki 8 9
Kitagata HS 27 37
Busiro SS 28 28
Gulu SS 16 18
Hasayha SS 28 28
Buhanga SS 14 14
Danabi Girls 16
Kangai SS 28 28
Busalamu SS 26 26
Kyebambe ss 9
Masheruka ss 11 11
Ruteete ss 28 28
Ruyonza SS 14 17
Kidera SS 21 21
Rweibaare SS 19 19
Rwenkobuha SS 22 22
Rwimi Ss 16 16
Rwakasinga 16 16
Archibishop Bakyenga Vocational 23 23
Scared Heart Girls 12
Mushanga Ss 26 26
Semuliki Hs 17 17
Sipi Ss 28 28
Sir Sameul Baker 28 28
Awach Ss 28 28
St Mary’s Kapisa 11 28
Luzira Ss 15 18
Alero Sss 28 28
Akalo Sss 21 21
Apac Sss 24 24
Alito Sss 28 28
Ibuge Sss 28 28
Ayes Seed Sss 23 28
Arua Public Sch 17 20
Arivu Sss 28 28
Aboke High Sch 23 22
Alere SSS 18 24
Aputi Sss 24 28
Amolatar Sss 27 27
Alemera Comprehensive Sss 28 28
Amuria Sss 19 20
Agwata Sss 23 26
Abim Sss 20 25
Aduku Sss 18 18
Awara College Etori 28 28
Baligeya Memorial SSS 24 25
BP Kivengere Girls Muyebe 18
Bahanga Community SSS 28 28
Bubaare SSS 28 28
Birere SSS 25 25
Buhimba SSS 25 25
Bugalo College 28 28
Buhobe SSS 20 24
Biyaya SSS 7 10
Bwera SSS 9 11
Bwerinyange SSS 7
Bwikya Muslim SSS 18 18
Bubandi Seed SSS 23 24
Buzaaya SSS 18 24
St Paul’s SSS 20 25
Spire High Sch 22 24
Bugongi SSS 15 17
Butsibo SSS 13 15
Buwemba SSS 26 28
Bukanga Seed SSS 18 22
Bukedea SSS 28 28
Bukinda SSS 20 20
Bugwere High Sch 12 12
Buhehe SSS 28 28
Bukooli SSS 25 25
Bukoyo SSS 15 15
Bulucheke SSS 22 22
Biguli SSS 21 21
Burambigira SSS 28 28
Nyamiyaga SSS 28 28
Burema SSS 28 28
Nakaloke SSS 28 28
Busaba SSS 28 28
Busede College 24 24
Kings High Sch 18 18
Busereka SSS 23 23
Bushika SSS 26 26
Busiima Seed SSS 28 28
Busembatia SSS 22 22
Busia SSS 22 22
Busolwe SSS 26 26
Butaleja SSS 28 28
Butanda SSS 11 11
Butare SSS 17 17
Budiope SSS 25 25
Banda SSS 26 26
Rubona SSS 28 28
Bata SSS 26 26
St Joseph College Layibi 10
St Anne’s SSS Kihami 22
St Charles Lwanga Muko 28 28
St Peters SSS Namwenda 18 18
Kitatya SSS 28 28
Bududa SSS 23 23
Bugambe SSS 28 28
Kabwohe SSS 22 22
Kamonkoli College 20 18
Kigaragra Voc SSS 20 20
Kidongole Seed SSS 24 26
Kibura Girls SSS 10 10
Kibiito SSS 12 12
Mpanga SSS 10 10
Karuguru SSS 28 28
Ibaale SSS 28 28
Ruhinda SSS 12 16
Rushoroza Seed Sch 28 28
Kizirantumbi SSS 24 24
Kobulubul SSS 28 28
