Uganda’s PLE results – some angles and story ideas to consider

Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports released the 2022 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) results today. Can we tell the story differently? Here are a few suggestions.

Going behind the numbers

Conduct a trend analysis of the PLE results. Ask educationalists and parents about your observations to provide depth and context to the numbers.

Take a look at the outliers at both the top and the bottom of the results list. What is unique about them? What story do they have to tell about reason for their unusual or outstanding performance? Investigate the explanations provided for the performance of those schools.

What factors contribute to the success of students in national examinations like PLE?

Focus on individual subjects and compare exam performance in these subjects over a couple of years.

Teaching, learning environment and outcomes

What is the quality of instructional and scholastic materials used in schools? How do teachers use them? How does this impact learning outcomes?

Go behind the expected disparities between rural and urban schools to explain why the gap exists and is potentially widening. Analyse the success or failure of government measures to bridge this gap.

According to the 2021/22 Global Education Monitoring Report, when schools reopened in 2022 there was an influx of learners from private schools to public schools. What impact did this have on learning outcomes for students in the most affected public schools?

Is there are noted difference between the results of girls and boys? Why is this so? What was done in 2020 to attempt to remedy this and how successful were these initiatives?

How many child mothers sat for PLE? How did they perform? How many girls in the 2022 primary seven class were subject to early marriage or teen pregnancy and missed exams?

To what extend did factors like meal provision, parent involvement, school distance, unpaid care work have on students’ performance?

Covid-19 and Ebola as key factors

What impact did the economic downturn caused by the Covid-19 pandemic have on retention of students in candidate classes, attendance and examination results?

How did teachers and parents deal with learning loss from Covid-19? What worked? What remains a challenge?

How did students in districts affected by the recent Ebola outbreak perform in PLE? Did students in Kassanda district who were provided supplementary exams because of Ebola attend them? What lessons does this provide the country on how effectively deal with national examinations during an emergency?

Others

Who are the unsung heroes behind students’ performance? What makes them stand out? Profile a couple of them.

How are examinations set, tested and marked? How has this changed over the years?

Compare the delivery of national examinations in Uganda to countries in the region. What is similar, unique or progressive? What can the country keep or change?

Is PLE the best assessment method? What do experts say?

Do you have a story idea suggestion? Share it in the comment section below or on ACME’s social pages.

 

Photo credit: Uganda Ministry of ICT and National Guidance website.