P8 exam : Poor show in English subject raises questions
The South Sudan National Examination Council released the results of the 2021 primary examinations in Juba, revealing that English posted the least performed subject.
The Deputy Minister of General Education and Instruction, Martin Tako Moyi, also tabled a report from the council, detailing the subject performance analysis. In this report, it emerged that the English language was the biggest burden for the candidates.
“This is very unfortunate because it is the official language and is the worst performing subject in the 2021 primary leaving examinations, followed by mathematics, which also was performed very poorly,” he said.
He said the most improved subjects are Christian Region Education and Social studies but they also need serious improvements.
Moyi stated, “In order to address the challenge of poor subject’s performance, the ministry will begin offering training for English language courses to primary teachers so that they are able to deliver the curriculum for the English language appropriately,” he said
The Department of Research and Evaluation’s Certificate of Primary Education Examinations Analysis’s Report 2021 recommended that Primary Eight teachers need refresher courses training and workshops because ”most teachers lack some concepts like composition writing summary writing reading skills.”
“Most candidates had very law capacities in providing explanations, so it is important for the teachers to encourage essay writing other than providing objectives during class lessons,” the reports recommended.
During the announcement of the results, Moyi stated that there are a total of 54,361 candidates who were registered for the examinations, 32,063 of who are males and 22,498 of whom are females.
However, only 49,541 candidates were able to sit for the examination, with 29,173 males and 20,398 females sitting for the examination part. The rest were reported absent.
“In terms of performance, out of the 49,541 candidates 29,173 males and 20,398 females that attempted the exams and 44,215 candidates 26,508 males, 17,707 females passed the exams with an overall pass rate of 89.3 per cent which represents a weighted score of 72.7 performance index, “he explained.
On October 15, 2021, the National Examinations Council in the draft resolution of the 13th Ordinary meeting that was held at Juba Crown Hotel, reviewed and adopted the resolution.
The council also listened to the presentation of the 2020 CES results and made recommendations that the secretariat should continue to train examiners across the country in order to improve examination management.
“The ministry should work hard to improve teachers’ working conditions in order to improve teachers’ working performance in public schools, and the ministry should also continue to train Arabic pattern teachers so that they are able to deliver the curriculum in the English language effectively,” according to the resolutions of the council’s 13th ordinary meeting, held on October 20, 2021.
The 2021 Primary leaving Examinations were dominated by private schools and no public school produced a candidate in the top ten list that was shared by 15 students.
Moyi alleged that the performance disparity between the private and public schools was attributable to better pay and adequate facilities in the private schools.
“We in the ministry are struggling to assist teachers in returning to the teaching profession because the majority of them left the profession due to poor working conditions,” he said.
The exam was given between February 14 and February 18, 2022.
