The National Examination and School Inspection Authority (NESA) has announced changes for science students appearing in the national exams.
Instead of the traditional practical exams, students taking science combinations will now undertake alternative practice exams, a first-time implementation of this approach.
The Director-General of NESA, Bernard Bahati, made this significant announcement during the launch of the national exams for Ordinary level and Advanced level students on Tuesday, July 25. The exams are scheduled to run until August 4.
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"The alternative is a practical examination session that doesn&039;t involve the use of apparatus; rather, the students will demonstrate their practical knowledge theoretically or on paper," explained Bahati.
This change comes in response to the varying facilities available among schools offering science combinations. In previous years, all students were required to undertake practical exams, which posed challenges for some due to the absence of proper laboratories. To address this, a new approach has been adopted, and all science students will now participate in alternative exams.
NESA has reported a total of 212,399 candidates expected to sit for the exams, with 96,249 being male and 116,150 being female. Among the candidates, 131,535 are O'level candidates, 48,674 are A-level candidates, 28,196 are from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs, and 3,994 are from Teachers' Training College (TTC).
Charles Karakye, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, expressed confidence in the preparedness of the candidates. He emphasized the importance of pre-examinations in enhancing their preparation.
Meanwhile, the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) have been completed without any recorded malfunctions. A large number of registered candidates successfully sat for the exams, ensuring a smooth process.
Hyacinthe Iradukunda, a senior six candidate taking Mathematics, Economics, and Geography, expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness for the examinations. The sufficient time provided for revision and the practice exams undertaken beforehand boosted her confidence for the national exams.
Emmanuel Nsangimana, a senior three candidate, believes that success is not determined by a single day of testing. He acknowledged the support they have received from teachers and classmates throughout their preparations, giving them hope for a successful outcome.
Meanwhile, the marking of PLE commenced on July 24 and is set to conclude on August 5. Following that, the O'level and Advanced level examinations will be marked from August 8 to August 29.