THE Ministry of education is considering phasing out end-of-year examinations.
It says it will use continuous assessment of primary school pupils as a basis for determining their promotion to the next class.

THE Ministry of education is considering phasing out end-of-year examinations.
It says it will use continuous assessment of primary school pupils as a basis for determining their promotion to the next class.

The director of education, Geoffrey Mbabazi, yesterday told the social services committee of Parliament that the end-of-year examinations are not very important.

He explained that the ability of a pupil would be better gauged through continuous assessment.

The MPs also questioned the rationale of mass promotion of pupils irrespective of their performance. Mbabazi said the public had misunderstood the policy.

Mbabazi, who accompanied education state ministers Gabriel Opio and Peter Lokeris, explained that teachers in consultation with the parents, could advise a child to repeat a class.
“What we do not want is mass repetition. Where almost half of the children in a school are repeating.”

Lokeris agreed with the MPs that there was a lot of laxity among teachers and children were not taught adequately.
He said the ministry had released sh2.5b to strengthen the inspectorate department.

“We have also put up a rule that each school has to be visited by the inspector of schools, three times every term. We realised that lack of inspection was one of the factors leading to poor performance by pupils.”

The MPs also expressed concern over the teachers’ welfare, especially accommodation.

Francis Epetait (FDC) said the teachers were discouraged by the poor working conditions, adding that parents had become complacent because they knew the children get automatic promotion.
Committee chairman James Kubeketerya said the controversy surrounding Bat Valley Primary School in Kampala had been resolved.

The school remains a public institution and would open normally for the second term, he added.