UBTEB results released, male candidates performed better than females

Additional reporting by Catherine Nakato 

Overall, male students performed better than female candidates according to results for the November/ December 2020 end of Program Examinations conducted by Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (UBTEB).

The results were released on Friday by State Minister for Higher Education Dr. John Chrysostom Muyingo.

Results show male candidates performed better with 76% pass rate compared to female candidates with 73%.

On the other hand, for Uganda Community Polytechnic Certificate category, female candidates performed better than their male counterparts with 93% compared to 83% pass rate respectively.

According to UBTEB 16,144 students sat for Technical Advanced Craft Programmes, Technical National Certificate Programmes, Technical Uganda Community Polytechnics Programmes and Business Diploma & Certificate Programmes.

The results show a positive trend regarding enrolment for female TVET trainees as the graph below details since 2012.

But according to the Dr. Onesmus Oyesigye the Executive Secretary UBTEB, there’s still much room to cover in bridging the gap between girls and boys enrollment.

“Generally, much as female candidates continue to slowly bridge the gap, male candidates have continued to dominate TVET in both registration and pass rates,” he said.

Out of the 15,019 candidates that actually sat for the examinations, 11,334 (3,191 Female and 8,143 Male) representing 75% successfully completed their respective programmes of studies.

Compared to the Nov-Dec 2019 performance, there is a 3% decline in the pass rate from 78% in 2019 to 75% in 2020. This was attributed to the challenges caused by the pandemic.

Dr. Silver Mugisha, the Chairperson of the Board, called for the passing of the TVET Bill by Parliament.

“There is need to expedite the formulation of the TVET Bill that will regulate the provision and assessment of TVET in addition to the TVET policy direction. This will help to streamline the laws and regulations defining mandates of players in TVET and later enhance a tripartite TVET assessment by the Training Institution, the industry and the Assessment Board,” he said.

Dr. Mugisha also called for increased funding by Government to the Board to enable the construction of the UBTEB assessment centre project, and fund the high costly practical assessments being implemented under the TVET reforms.

UBTEB conducted the examinations between 12th to 26th March, 2021 in 511 examinations centres after a postponement caused by the Covid 19 pandemic.

The Board celebrates 10 years of growth and contribution in TVET assessment later this year.