Seventy-five percent of students who took the Uganda Business and Technical Examinations passed.
The executive secretary of the Uganda Business and Technical Examination Board (Ubteb), Mr Onesmus Oyesigye, announced the results at their headquarters in Ntinda, Kampala, on Friday. He said 11,334 (75%) of the 15,019 students who sat for the examinations passed. A total of 3,685 pupils (35%) failed.
Mr. Oyesigye said that the 2020 results showed a 3% drop in performance as compared to the prior year.
“In comparison to November-December 2019 performance, there is a 3% drop in pass rates from 78% in 2019 to 75% in 2020,” Mr Oyesigye added.
He blamed the Covid-19 failure rate of 25% on instability in the education system, which saw students spend months at home while others were unable to get internship positions.
The board also stated that just 15,019 of the 16,144 students who enrolled for the March final examinations showed up.
Mr. Oyesigye blamed it on absenteeism, the Covid-19 epidemic, and inability to pay tuition.
Exams were given to students in a variety of programs, including Technical Advanced Craft, Technical National Certificate, Technical Community Polytechnics, Business Diploma, and Business Certificate.
Overall, male students outperformed their female counterparts, with 76 percent passing compared to 73 percent for the latter.
However, in the Uganda Community Polytechnic Certificate category, female applicants outperformed male counterparts, with a 93% success rate compared to 83%, respectively.
Mr. Oyesigye said that the board recorded 36 instances of misconduct, a number he claims is lower than in 2019. (68).
After the applicants were found guilty, the board recommended that 19 of the 36 cases be canceled.
Ms Janet Museveni, Minister of Education and Sports, presided over the announcement of results, and in a statement read by Mr John Chrysostom Muyingo, State Minister for Higher Education, urged Ugandans to embrace technical vocational education training (TVET) at all levels.
“Parents and the general public should encourage our kids to pursue technical and vocational education so that all youths may be trained.” “The economy needs additional middle-level technicians,” Ms Museveni said.
Mr Muyingo said that unlike colleges, where many graduates wind up on the streets for years, TVET draws jobs.
Mr Silver Mugisha, the chairman of Ubteb, has urged the government to expedite the creation of a TVET university so that students who appear for Ubteb diploma examinations may go to a higher level of study.
“This will encourage our kids to pursue TVET education, knowing that they will be able to go on to university,” Mr Mugisha added.
He did, however, say that after acquiring an acre of property from Kyambogo University, the board requested permission of constructing architectural and structural designs, which were granted.
The board is now in the procurement process for the assessment center’s construction.
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