At least 22 out of the 39 primary schools in Gulu Municipality have failed to register a single pupil in division one in the just released Mock exams results.
Majority of the primary schools are government aided.
The schools are Gulu Prisons Primary School, Cubu, Christ the King Demonstration, Layibi, Layibi Techo, Laliya, Layibi Central Primary School, Wii Awarango, Mama Cave and Laroo Primary School.
Others are Pece Primary School, Pece Pawel, Gulu Town, St. Joseph’s Primary School, St Peter’s Laroo, Holy Rosary, Highland, Kasubi, Kasubi Central, Mary Immaculate, St Jude and Obiya West Primary School.
The results indicate that only 60 candidates scored grade one out of the 2,961 candidates who sat for the exams which translates into only 1.7 percent of candidates who scored division one.
The best school was El- Shaddai Primary & Nursery School which registered 21 candidates in Division One and 43 in division two out of the 64 candidates who registered for the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE).
Negri Primary School came second with 10 candidates in division one and 31 in division two.
43 of the best candidates are from the six privately owned Primary Schools leaving 33 government schools to share 17 pupils in division one among themselves.
Meanwhile, 710 candidates were registered in Division Two, 660 candidates in Division three and 700 candidates in Division four.
A total of 676 candidates failed all the four subjects scoring division U.
Another 68 candidates scored Division X making the biggest percent of 46.2.
Social Studies, Mathematics and English were worst done subjects with more than 50 percent of the pupils failing completely.
Mr Patrick Ocan, a teacher of English Language at Kasubi Primary School attributed the poor results to failure by the candidates to adhere to instructions.
Ocan who was also a team leader for English Language also noted that, “A number of pupils had poor handwritings leading to loss of marks.”
The Head Teacher of Mary Immaculate Primary School, Mr Albert Ocaya, one of schools which performed poorly says he is confident that the candidates will perform well in the final national exams.
Mr Jose Jola Acire, the Municipal Education Officer (MEO) says the problem is failure to complete the syllabus.
According to Acire, schools are expected to complete the syllabus before candidates sit for the mock exams so that subject teachers have ample time to revise as they prepare candidates for PLE.