The current admission requirements to any higher education programme require Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (A-‑level) with at least two principal passes for degree programmes, one principal pass, and two subsidiaries for a diploma programme. Unfortunately, there is no remedial programme for candidates who qualify for A-‑level but have not scored sufficiently good grades to enroll for degree or diploma programmes. The only available option is for them to repeat Senior Six or enroll for Certificate programmes using the Uganda Certificate of Education (O-‑level). The programme is therefore, intended to provide an alternative route to join higher education programmes.
The Higher Education Certificate in Biological Sciences is intended for the following categories:
- Holders of the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education: The HEC in Biological Sciences is intended for holders of the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education or equivalent qualifications wishing to pursue higher education programmes in biological/health sciences but for some reasons they were not able to enroll for such using A–‑level grades.
- Foreign Qualification: The programme will also serve as a foundation programme for students whose foreign secondary school qualifications are not considered equivalent to the Ugandan A-‑level but permit admission into Higher Education programme in their respective foreign countries. Such students shall be required to have an equivalent of Uganda Certificate of Education with at least a credit in each of the following subject: English, Mathematics, Biology, Physics and Chemistry.
- Linkage between the Vocational Qualifications and the Higher Education Qualifications: One of the challenges facing holders of vocational qualifications is the inability to cross to Higher Education at the same levels as those with school qualifications. For example, although a Uganda Technical Education Certificate (Craft Part I) is equivalent to the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education, holders of the former can only join degree programme after two and a half years of an intermediate diploma in addition to years of experience while holders of UACE can enroll for degree programmes right away. There is a general belief that holders of vocational qualifications may be highly skilled but lack adequate science/theoretical foundations to join knowledge-‑based higher education programmes. The Higher Education programme in Biological Sciences is designed to expose holders of such qualifications to rigorous theoretical/science foundations that will enable them have a solid foundation required to pursue desired higher education programmes in Biological Sciences.
