The Uganda Business and Technical Examination Board (UBTEB) has released the April-May 2023 end of programme examinations results.
According to the UBTEB Executive Secretary, Onesmus Oyesigye, of the 8,538 candidates who sat for examinations, 6,913 candidates (81%) successfully acquired all competencies in their respective trades.
He revealed that in this particular release for the end of programme examinations, 3,931 female candidates (57%) successfully completed the programme compared to 2,982 male candidates (43%).
He noted that there was a very good performance exhibited in Physical and Biological Science diploma end of programme with 82% pass rate.
Other categories of programmes were also done well with completion rates above 70%.
Oyesigye said that the rating of performance of the candidates in these results considered their participation in Continuous Assessment, Industrial Training, Practical Assessment, Real-life Project and Written Theory Assessment.
He further revealed that out of a total of 262 accredited examination centres, 13,209 candidates registered for end of programme examinations and 8,538 (65%) turned up for examinations while 4,671 (35%) did not present themselves for assessment.
He partly attributed this to the UTCs that were unable to present candidates in the April/May 2023 examinations series.
“These examinations were prepared to bridge and clear the backlog of candidates affected by the staggering of opening of institutions as was advised by the president during management of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
On malpractice, he revealed that after fair hearing of the suspected candidates, the Board found 42 candidates guilty of the malpractice, and recommended to the cancellation of the examination results for the entire semester of the affected candidates in accordance with Regulation 9 (3) of the UBTEB Regulations.
Eng. Dr Silver Mugisha, the UBTEB Board Chair, said they have put in place TVET Assessment Working Groups composed of various professionals from the relevant disciplines examined by the Board.
He said efforts to enact the TVET law on management and regulation of TVET should be fast-tracked to strengthen TVET systems and operations.
“The Board requests additional funding to cater for the unit cost of assessment of TVET trainees and the completion of the UBTEB Assessment Centre Construction Project,” he said.
Dr Chrysostom Muyingo, the State Minister for Higher Education, appreciated the board for the positive changes being implemented in line with the priorities of Government in Skills Development, especially increased access to Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) through modular assessment and the determination of the Board to enhance online operations.
Muyingo who represented the Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Kataha Museveni, noted that the current efforts will supplement the on-going efforts to reduce youth unemployment but also sustain the drive to realize gender equity in TVET institutions across the country.
He further pledged government’s support to UBTEB.