The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The national Senior One selection and placement exercise opened on Thursday under intense pressure for limited spaces in elite secondary schools.
According to the selection documents, strong Primary Leaving Examination scores once again failed to guarantee admission to first-choice institutions for many learners, as hundreds of candidates were competing for places in a small group of government and government-aided schools with long records of academic success.
Teachers and Ministry of Education officials interviewed linked the pressure to a narrow focus by parents and learners on the same institutions, driven by reputation, facilities, and past performance.
Twaha Ssimogerere, careers master at Kawempe Muslim Secondary School, blamed weak guidance during school selection. “Many learners fill forms without realistic advice, leading them to choose only highly competitive schools,” he said.
Sebastian Mugumya, the deputy headteacher of Ntare School in Mbarara, raised similar concerns. Parents and learners, he said, limit choices to a few well-known schools. The trend heightens competition and leaves many solid performers without suitable placements.
Speaking on behalf of Ntare School, Mugumya said demand remains intense, driven by the school’s legacy and strong academic performance, with many candidates competing fiercely for admission.
The exercise targets the placement of successful PLE candidates into post-primary schools. Results from the 2025 PLE showed a slight rise in Division One passes, alongside a sharp drop in top aggregates of four, five, and six. Despite fewer ultra-high scores, leading traditional schools retained or slightly adjusted cutoff points.
For instance, Ntare School kept its cutoff at Aggregate 6. Kibuli Secondary School set Aggregate 7 for boys and 8 for girls. Masaka Secondary School retained Aggregate 10 for boys and 11 for girls. Immaculate Heart Girls School, Rukungiri, also held at Aggregate 7, and Bweranyange Girls Secondary School maintained Aggregate 9.
However, some schools lowered cutoffs mainly by one aggregate. Kawempe Muslim Secondary School adjusted to Aggregate 8 for both boys and girls, from 6 and 7 last year. Nabisunsa Girls School and Busoga College Mwiri shifted from Aggregate 10 to 11.
Ibrahim Ssendawula, director of studies at Nabisunsa Girls School, said the shift reflects weaker top-end results. Most learners, he said, attained first-grade aggregates ranging from 10 to 15.
Meanwhile, the selection exercise showed increased student allocations to several schools, reflecting the growing number of learners qualifying for secondary education.
Nabisunsa Girls School received 240 students, up from 200 last year. Bulamoji College, Kaliro rose from 262 to 300. Kololo High School increased from 450 to 540. Mbale Secondary School expanded its intake from 700 to 962. Many other schools also recorded higher numbers.
Interviews with headteachers and deputies indicated readiness for the expansion. Most schools reported adequate facilities to absorb the additional learners.
According to the Ministry of Education, the placement exercise targets more than 273,000 learners into 1,521 government and government-aided secondary schools. Over 384,000 successful PLE candidates remain destined for more than 32,000 private secondary schools outside the exercise.
Addressing headteachers, Minister for Higher Education John Chrysostom Muyingo urged fairness and transparency during selection and admission. He warned against practices where schools set high cutoff points, exclude candidates who fall short by small margins, then later admit weaker performers through school-based admissions.
Mary Frances Atima, chairperson of the selection committee and acting permanent secretary at the Ministry of Education, also directed schools to avoid imposing conditions such as commitment fees or interviews on selected learners.
Despite the directive, it is a public secret that competition-driven schools continue to demand commitment fees. The practice blocks merit-based candidates and favours applicants with financial capacity but weaker grades.
The placement exercise continues to attract scrutiny from parents, teachers, and education stakeholders. Questions persist over fairness, access, and the role of private influence in public school admissions.
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