Abstract
Subject combinations at A-level in Ugandan Senior Secondary Schools have made or marred the future career of many prospective students, many students have ended up doing courses they had not planned to do because they made wrong choices at their A-level. This recommender system offers the decision-making process for students based on their subject performance coupled with interest, passion, skills and talents to enable them make right choices. It is person-centred and there are three (3) main actors: the student (who are interested in making appropriate career choice), the documents (which contains available information about interest and passion, skills and talents and subject performances) and access metrics (which aids the student of A-level in extracting knowledge from available resources). A hybrid matrix factorization model using ANFIS and R were used to represents students and subjects as linear combinations derived from their characteristics and interactions, this is combined with rule-based model to offer a unified approach of presenting any student with a list of subjects that will lead to prospective career choices. This offer higher predictive accuracy in career choice matchmaking and overcoming challenges of parental influence, peer influence and others while expanding opportunities of career guidance in Uganda.
Highlights
Uganda Education is 7-4-2-3 system, seven years in primary, four years in secondary school, two years A-level in senior secondary school and minimum of three years in the university, to transit from one level to another, national examination are administered for example, at the end of elementary school, pupils are examined in 4 subjects in which all of them are compulsory namely English Language, Mathematics, Basic Science and Health Education, after the completion of O-level, 10 -12 subjects must be chosen out of the available 36 subjects while at the completion of A-level, students are expected to choose 3 subjects out of the possible 36 subjects and additional compulsory General paper[1]
Ugandan Senior Secondary Schools are evolving with several proponents that can improve teaching and learning so as to prepare students for their respective future careers but there are few limitations and challenges to optimally achieve the desired Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in education as a nation[2],[3],[4]
The government of Uganda recognizes education as a basic human right and continues to strive to ensure quality and affordable education is provided, there are issues with funding, teachers’ training, rural populations, inadequate facilities and others which continue to hinder the progress of educational development in Uganda, It is imperative to know that poor performance of A-level students can be reduced optimally if the subject combination matters are handled without prejudices
Summary
Uganda Education is 7-4-2-3 system, seven years in primary, four years in secondary school, two years A-level in senior secondary school and minimum of three years in the university, to transit from one level to another, national examination are administered for example, at the end of elementary school, pupils are examined in 4 subjects in which all of them are compulsory namely English Language, Mathematics, Basic Science and Health Education, after the completion of O-level, 10 -12 subjects must be chosen out of the available 36 subjects while at the completion of A-level, students are expected to choose 3 subjects out of the possible 36 subjects and additional compulsory General paper[1]. One of the composite functions of MDG and Education For All (EFA) is to make education accessible and available to the populace but this function cannot be achievable without relevant data and information that are to be analyzed in order to observe needs, gaps and missing objectives in the provision of education. One of such gaps or need is the procedure employed in subject selection for upper secondary school students which does not follow documented approach and need to come up with an appropriate recommender for students, guardian (parents) and other stakeholders in education. Recommender system gives recommendation that is worthy of consideration which distinguishes it from Information Retrieval (IR) and offer personalized and customized responses to their respective users
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