It’s Student Testing Time!
The next several weeks are intense times for our S4 and S6 Students as they begin the UCE and UACE examinations.
As an FYI, S4 in Uganda is equivalent to the final year of Junior High School, or 10th grade. From here, students go to Advanced Level (A-Level), formerly known as High School or just “Higher” locally. That is Senior 5 and Senior 6 (S5 and S6) which is equivalent to grade 11 and grade 12.
Below is just a brief explanation of how rigorous these examinations really are for the students. We ask that you please keep them in your prayers during this stressful period.
The Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) has been administered annually since 1980 by the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) to S4 students in general education programs in public and private schools. It is a high-stakes and mandatory examination that certifies completion of lower secondary general education programs. It is also a requirement for students wishing to pursue an Advanced Level of upper-secondary education
This year, our S4 students began their exams on October 17th and will finish them on November 18th. These are very comprehensive exams with most subjects tested lasting 2 hours. The following are subjects that are tested: Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English Literature, and either Geography, History, or Religious Education. Optional subjects include cultural subjects (like Music), Technical subjects (like Carpentry), and other subjects like Accounting, Business, and Computer Science. There are two subjects tested each day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The UCE is administered face-to-face. It comprises a written component, delivered through paper-pencil tests, an oral component, and practical applications. All test-takers are presented with the same cognitive booklets or tests, which are aligned with the national curriculum.
The UCE serves the following purposes:
– student certification for completion of lower secondary general education programs
– student selection to higher education programs or admission into specific courses or tracks
– school or educator accountability
– sub-national level monitoring of learning outcomes
– monitoring education quality levels
– planning education policy reforms
Our S6 students will be taking the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examination beginning on November 21st and concluding on December 9th.
The purpose of the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examination for S6 candidates is to assess the candidates’ level of achievement. It is not an end in itself but it will help to place candidates in their career paths.
The UACE examination is designed to test candidates’ ability to comprehend and apply knowledge in a novel situation; demonstrate logical reasoning skills, ability to perform scientific experiments, interpret results and draw conclusions arising therefrom. The questions are set to test the candidates’ ability to handle higher-order tasks such as descriptions, explanations, analysis, and evaluation. The following are subjects that are tested: General Paper, History, Economics, Entrepreneur Education, Christian Religious Education, Geography, Literature in English, Mathematics, Physics, Agriculture, Chemistry, Biology, and Art.
Once an S6 student passes the UACE, they may be able to move on to university.
