In Nakaseke District, twenty headteachers are under scrutiny following disappointing Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) results, leading to potential demotion due to perceived incompetence. The recent release of the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) exam results prompted the district council’s resolution to summon these headteachers for an explanation of their schools’ underperformance.
Of the total candidates, only 12.9% achieved a first division, while a significant 5.6% failed altogether, marking a decline from previous years and falling short of the district’s academic targets. Ignatius Koomu, the LCV Chairperson of Nakaseke, expressed concern over the slight increase in failure rates from 4% in 2022 to 5.6% in 2023, emphasizing the district’s expectations.
Upon analysis, it was discovered that over 10% of candidates failed PLE in 20 specific schools, leading to pinpointed accountability. Notable examples include Kagando Mixed Primary School and Kikamulo C/U, where 59% and 50% of candidates failed, respectively.
In response to these findings, the district council has summoned the implicated headteachers to justify their positions before potential demotion to classroom teaching roles. This decision stems from a resolution aimed at addressing incompetence among school leadership, particularly in monitoring and ensuring academic excellence.
Ritah Nakitanda, the District Inspector of Schools, announced a meeting scheduled for March 15th, where headteachers and education stakeholders will review performance and identify strategies for improvement. Additionally, School Management Committees will be tasked with identifying the root causes of poor performance and devising solutions for the upcoming academic year.
Nakitanda also highlighted the district’s plan to recognize schools with exemplary performance through certificates, aiming to incentivize consistent academic achievement.
However, Emmanuel Kizza, Chairperson of the Uganda National Teachers Union in Nakaseke, raised concerns about the fairness of solely blaming headteachers for poor performance. Kizza cited issues such as understaffing and the practice of automatically promoting weak students as underlying factors contributing to the challenges faced by schools.
Since the resolution to demote headteachers was passed in 2017, over 40 headteachers have undergone demotion, only to be reinstated upon demonstrating improved commitment and performance.
The impending meeting and subsequent actions underscore Nakaseke’s commitment to addressing educational challenges and fostering a culture of accountability and improvement within its schools.
