Senior Reporter
Head teachers in Kabale municipality are increasingly concerned about the rising trend of students transferring to private schools, particularly those in candidate classes. David Magara, Deputy Head teacher responsible for academics at Kigezi High School Primary Lower, and Henry Mayanja, Head teacher of Bugongi Primary School, have expressed worries over private school proprietors targeting high-performing pupils, especially those in critical classes.
These proprietors attract students with promises of scholarships and other educational resources, impacting the academic performance of government schools.
They urge the government to implement clear policies regulating student transfers between schools to address this harmful trend.
In response, Moses Bwegye Tumwijukye, the Kabale District Education Officer, has condemned such practices, highlighting their potential negative effects on students’ academic performance. He emphasized the challenges students face when adapting to new environments and educators, which could hinder their achievements in candidate classes. Tumwijukye has pledged to investigate cases where students were enticed by private school owners with promises of scholarships and educational materials and take appropriate action.
The recently released Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) results further highlight the gap, with 95.5 percent of students in private schools passing compared to 89.1 percent in UPE schools.
