The purpose of this section is in displaying the mechanism used to grade pupils in Primary Schools in Uganda. In other words, what scores are assigned to pupils based on their outcomes in examinations? This section will aid in providing a background to the fourth chapter dealing with the empirical findings and analysis of pupil performance across the two selected UPE Schools(KPS and NPS).
As already stated pupils sit for national examinations(PLE) at the level of Primary Seven(P.7). On a similar note, pupils in class levels below Primary Seven; Primary six, Primary five, Primary four, Primary three, Primary two and Primary one, sit for examinations but these assessments are not of a national character(MoES,2011). As previously mentioned, students below Primary Seven sit for School based examinations that are set by their respective teachers. Despite these differences in terms of School based exams versus nationalized exams, what is significant is that pupils whether at Primary Seven level or below sit for four subjects; Mathematics, English, Science and Social Studies(MoES,2011). More important is that the pupils at both Primary seven
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level and below are graded with 'distinctions, credits, passes and failure' depending on their scores in assessments.
It must be appreciated that in Scandinavian countries such as Norway and Finland, students in elementary School are graded in examinations with labels such as 'A, B, C, D, E and F'(Munene, 2009, p.48). In Uganda, pupils graded with either 'Distinctions(D), Credits(C), Passes(P) or Failures(F).' In other words whenever a student in Primary School sits for exams, his or her results will normally reflect the labels; D, C, P or F wherein D means distinction, C means Credit, P stands for Pass and F for Failure.
Accordingly, distinctions are regarded as excellent scores synonymous with Grades A and B in Norwegian education. Credits are considered as fairly good and are synonymous with Grade C under the Norwegian elementary system. Passes are considered to be average scores and are similar to the D and E grades under the Norwegian elementary Schools. The label 'F' is applicable in both Ugandan and Norwegian education to mean 'failure.' In short in case a pupil obtains a score below average level(D and E), it is considered as a failure.
While discussing the grading structure in Ugandan Primary Schools, it is relevant to highlight that whenever pupils undertake examinations, these exams are marked by School teachers who first of all assign percentage scores to each pupil's script. In other words before any grading begins, pupils are first assigned percentage scores on each of their scripts. These percentage scores simply reflect the magnitude of questions that a pupil answered correctly. Accordingly a pupil registering a 100% score in a Mathematics exam has passed each and every mathematical question set in the exam. Below 40%, a pupil is considered to have failed the examination. Following this, the grading process comes into play, that is to say the assignment of distinctions, credits, passes and failures. It must be noted that each percentage score reflects a particular grade. for instance a 100% score is viewed as distinction.
Significantly, distinctions just like credits and passes are grouped differently. In other words, distinctions constitute two sub-categories 'distinction 1 and distinction 2' normally abbreviated as D.1 and D.2 respectively. Distinction 1(D.1) is a higher grade than Distinction 2(D.2). Credits constitute 'credit 3, credit 4, credit 5 and credit 6' respectively and are labeled as 'C.3, C.4, C.5 and C.6 respectively.' Each credit is considered higher than the preceding one, for instance credit
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3(C.3) is a higher grade than credit 4(C.4) which in turn is higher than credit 5(C.5). Passes comprise of pass 7 and pass 8, abbreviated as Ps.7 and Ps.8, with pass 7(Ps.7) higher than pass 8(P.8). Failures are not regrouped in any way but are simply labeled as Failure 9 or F.9 in short. From this therefore, it is fair to say that the grading scale runs from 1 to 9 with 1 and 2 representing distinctions, 3,4,5 and 6 representing credits, 7 and 8 reflect passes and finally 9 accounts for failures.
On a similar note, the percentage scores on a pupil's script are assigned to each of the grades specified above(1 to 9). In other words, a score of 100% is regarded as a distinction 1(D.1) and not distinction 2(D.2). The summary of the grading process is indicated below. This process as already highlighted involves assigning grades to each of the percentage scores.
Table 2. The Grading format for pupils in Ugandan Primary Schools.
Percentages(0-100%) Grades 80-100 Distinction 1(D.1) 70-79 Distinction 2(D.2) 65-69 Credit 3(C3) 60-64 Credit 4(C4) 55-59 Credit 5(C5) 50-54 Credit 6(C6) 40-49 Pass 7(Ps.7) 35-39 Pass 8(Ps.8) Below 35 Failure(F.9) (Source: MoES, 2011,p.45)63
From the table above, it is evident that each percentage score obtained by a pupil during examinations has got a corresponding grade. This applies to all examinations whether national or School-based. Just as it is evident that the highest percentage score a pupil can obtain is 100percent, equally so the highest grade that a pupil can obtain is a distinction 1(D.1). Of significance is the need to take note of the percentage ranges that constitute a single grade. for instance looking at the range; 80 to 100 percent reveals a corresponding grade for all percentage scores in that range. This means that whether one pupil obtains 100percent in a test and another pupil obtains 80percent or 90percent in the same test as the former, both are considered to have obtained a grade of Distinction 1(D.1). This despite the difference between 80 percent and 100percent.
Quality performance in Primary Leaving Examinations(PLE) is a must for Primary seven(P.7) pupils who seek admission into top secondary Schools. Just before the P.7 pupils sit for the national exams, they are required to make up to four choices on the Secondary Schools that they seek to enroll in. This is nonetheless dependent on their performance at PLE. The Secondary Schools set their own standard points which they require for pupils seeking entry into their respective Schools. Therefore once the results of the national examinations are released, the head-teachers of all Secondary Schools especially Government aided sit for a two-day selection process wherein they(head-teachers) register the names of pupils who qualify for admission into their respective School and who placed that School as their first choice. Therefore Primary Seven pupils prior to making their School choices are cautioned to always give precedence to the School that they value most of joining for Secondary education.
Top quality Secondary Schools in Uganda such as Kings College Budo(KCB), St Mary's College Kisubi(SMACK), Gayaza High School(GHS), Uganda Martyrs Namugongo Secondary School and Mt. St Mary's Namagunga often set high admission standards. Usually these Schools require Primary Seven pupils to have obtained a minimum of three Distinction.1's(D.1) and only one Distinction.2(D.2) at PLE. As already noted, the Distinction(D) is the highest grade that a pupil may obtain under the Primary education system in Uganda. This means that across the four examinable subjects; Mathematics, Science, English and Social Studies, a pupil at minimum is expected to have obtained a percentage score of 80% in English, 80% in Mathematics, 80% in Science and 75% in Social Studies so as to be admitted to high performing Secondary Schools.
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This qualifies for three Distinction 1's in English, Mathematics and Science, with one Distinction.2 in Social studies.
National examinations are sat for at both Primary and Secondary levels. The national examinations for Primary Schools are known as Primary Leaving Examinations and these exams apply to only pupils who have reached the seventh Grade known as Primary Seven Class. What must be noted is that prior to UPE in Uganda, accessing Primary education was a matter of finance (Ezenne, 2012). In short, education was a national service but only for those who were able to meet the cost (Kasente, 2010).Thus prior to 1997 UPE implementation, funding by Government in Primary education was low(Nishimura et al,2008). This is evidenced by the "80% of direct costs of Public Primary schooling"(Nishimura et al,2008,p.162) that were met by parents whereas Government accounted for only "20%"(Nishimura et al,2008,p.162).