40 Nakaseke Teachers Undergo Competency Exam Over Poor PLE Results

Summary:

• 40 teachers from Nakaseke District undergo competency exams due to low school performance. Administered by the District Chairperson, it aims to address academic challenges. Results from the 2023 PLE indicate poor performance, prompting accountability measures for headteachers and teachers.

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A group of at least 40 teachers from P.7 classes across various primary schools in Nakaseke District underwent competency assessment exams following below-average performance by their schools in the 2023 PLE results.

Initially summoned under the guise of a meeting with district officials at Nakaseke Technical Institute on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, the teachers were surprised to find themselves presented with special PLE past papers tailored to their respective teaching subjects upon arrival.

Conducted by the Nakaseke District Chairperson, Mr. Ignatius Kiwanuka Koomu, in response to complaints from the local government regarding high failure rates in certain schools, the exams were not intended as punitive measures but rather as a means to identify underlying issues.

Mr. Koomu emphasized, “This is not a punishment to the affected teachers. Through this exam, we shall be able to get to the root of the problem. We shall certainly get to the root cause of the failures in our schools.”

For the past six years, Koomu had consistently urged teachers to improve academic performance or face consequences, citing the adage “You Can’t Teach What You Don’t Know” and expressing his commitment to finding solutions to the district’s poor academic performance.

Out of the 4,813 candidates who sat for the 2023 PLE in Nakaseke District, only 604 passed in Division 1 (12.9%), 2,706 in Division II (57.9%), and 728 in Division III. Division IV saw 361 passing candidates (2.9%), while 276 candidates failed completely. Additionally, 138 candidates did not sit for the exam.

The district leadership deemed these results unsatisfactory compared to the previous year. Consequently, a resolution was passed to hold headteachers and classroom teachers accountable for poor performance, with potential demotions for those in charge of underperforming schools.