Headteachers from government primary schools in Luwero District have called on authorities to address pressing challenges in the education sector, urging a shift from blaming teachers to providing the necessary support.
The 2024 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) results, released recently, revealed that out of 16,162 pupils who sat for PLE, 1,756 students passed in division one, 8,977 in division two, 2,805 in division three, and 1,250 in division four.
However, 1,085 students, making up 6.8%, failed, and 288 representing 1.8 % did not show up for the exams.
Among the key issues raised by teachers contributing to failures include inadequate teacher accommodation, insufficient desks to meet the growing enrollment, and understaffing, particularly in remote areas.
“The challenges facing our schools are undeniable,” said Hassan Kassim, Chairperson of the Luwero District Headteachers Association.
“Before placing blame on teachers, the government must urgently address these problems because without proper accommodation for teachers, enough learning materials, and adequate staff, it’s difficult for both teachers and pupils to succeed."
Kassim also criticized the automatic promotion policy, which he believes is demotivating pupils and contributing to the lack of focus on academics.
“Pupils are not pushed to work hard when they know they will automatically be promoted, regardless of their performance," he added.
Among the worst-performing schools in Luwero include Kisazi Primary School, which registered 22 pupils but saw 15 failures, followed by Kyanukuzi UMEA with 13 failures out of 20 pupils, Nakabululu Primary School recorded 11 failures from 29 pupils and as a result, the district authorities have questioned headteachers from underperforming schools to explain the reasons behind the poor results.
“We are not making excuses, but we need to explain the context,” said Shadrack Ngonzi,the headteacher of Nakakono Primary School in Butuntumula Sub County, where six out of 16 pupils failed.
“The low teacher pay has led to a lack of motivation among teachers.”
Ngonzi also expressed concerns over the growing pressure placed on teachers, citing the recent precedent set in Nakaseke District, where teachers whose pupils failed were forced to sit for mock exams.
He emphasized that such intimidation only demoralizes teachers undermining their ability to teach effectively.
“Teachers cannot work under such constant pressure. It’s simply not sustainable,” Ngonzi said. “Instead of intimidation, we need support, training, and better resources to do our jobs well.”
Following, discussions held at Luwero district Council Hall, the district LC5 Chairperson Erasto Kibirango has encouraged collective involvement of all stakeholders, including the government, teachers, parents, and pupils, in improving education standards.
“We need to come together to address these issues, the solutions must involve everyone, from the government providing better infrastructure and resources, to teachers engaging more effectively with students and parents supporting their children’s learning.”
Kibirango added that with 137 out of 230 government primary schools in the district registering failures, the headteachers’ plea for action remains urgent
Authorities have also pledged to take these concerns into account as they work toward long-term solutions to improve academic performance in the region.