A World Bank adviser on Global Education Practice this week called for the banning of Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE).
Mr Mourad Ezzine, who was speaking at the launch of the report titled ‘Economic Development and Human Capital in Uganda, a case for investing more in Education’ in Kampala on Thursday argued that about Shs306billion is ‘lost in unproductive education as many children leave in the middle of primary education when they are still illiterate.’
He said; “The quality of teaching and learning is not good. Parents know that the children are not learning because they don’t want to encourage them to remain in school because they know there are no results.”
The report, according to Daily Monitor recommends scrapping of PLE reasoning that it would improve transition to lower secondary and encourages continuous assessment.
“One way to improve the issue of low transition to lower secondary could be abolishing examinations in the final grade of primary. The rationale for this policy is that most countries now consider primary and secondary education as part of the same foundational education, which they are making compulsory.”
The report also recommends that government expands pre-primary education which is currently managed by the private sector if its to realise an improvement in the reading and numeracy of its citizens.
An official from the Ministry of Education said the proposal is being discussed but would require more resources.
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