Successful exam results for JMLC pupils

A core programme of CALM Africa, which CFU funding helps to support, is education. A key pillar of child protection is quality education, keeping children safe in schools and giving them the skills to enrich their future.

The Uganda National Examinations Board has released the 2016 Primary Leaving Examinations results. The results were received with excitement at JMLC, as the students performed very well.

According to Ninsima Geoffrey, the Director of Studies JMLC, “we got 10 first grades, with the best performing student getting aggregate 9. We also had 9 students passing in second grade, and in the third grade we had only 3 students.”

“The performance was very good. Am very happy about it,” announced CALM Africa Team Leader, James Ssekiwanuka in his office at JMLC. English was the best performed subject.

“We thank the Almighty God and appreciate the prayers of stakeholders and people of good-will for their continued support,” added Geoffrey.

In 2016, JMLC had 23 candidates sitting for PLE, interestingly for the first time, girls were more than boys. The class had 12 girls and 11 boys. JMLC also had candidates from other schools register to do their examinations under the JMLC centre number.

“We had no control over the performance of students from other schools who registered to use our centre number. Not all students who didn’t perform well are from our school. Since we want to help other schools, when they asked us, we accepted to register their students under our centre number,” James explains.

“It is important to note that our goal is not to teach students to just pass exams. We are about character formation, education for responsibility and preparing students for a better future. We are about moulding good citizens for Uganda who would contribute to their country’s development. When you emphasis character, conducive environment for learning and less teaching and more learning, then passing becomes an inevitable outcome. Passing exams is good as it manifests the school good works and raises the school profile, ‘’ the Team Leader added.

The principle of JMLC is to provide quality education to the children. “And education to us doesn’t necessarily mean performing well in exams, when in other areas your performance is poor,” emphasizes James.

JMLC also participates in co-curricular activities like sports, debates, leadership training and domestic tourism where students and staff visit different parts of the country. The school is also a strong competitor in inter district and national sports championships.

“We get reports that students of JMLC are always hardworking, humble, disciplined, focused and God-fearing, based on performance reports on our students who are now in secondary school,” happily narrates James.

As a sign of appreciation and motivation, the director and administration of JMLC organized the ‘Director’s Handshake’ event for the students who passed. Some of the gifts handed to the students were sent in by the foreign friends and supporters of JMLC.

“I call upon parents who have school going children, and have not registered them with us, we still have vacancies from nursery up to primary 7,” appeals Geoffrey. Geoffrey further states that, the fees structure for JMLC is also favourable. The school is also fighting hard to acquire a van to pick students who might be coming far from the school.

The next academic year starts on 6 February, when the first term opens. The administration and teaching staff of JMLC is already preparing for the academic year, and promise to continue improving the exams performance and character formation of its students.

This is a great achievement for us to hear. It means the pupils we’ve been working with over the last few years are set to continue in secondary school. It means that the standard of teaching and experience of the primary children is being maintained, and improving. It means that our donations are helping to ensure this is possible for these children. 

Our thanks to everyone who supports JMLC or has in the past, through donations to the school itself, sponsorship of a child, or volunteering there working with the staff and children.

For more information on any of the above, please do get in contact at info@childrenfirstuganda.co.uk