TESO College Aloet in Soroti district on Saturday awarded the Order of Merit to its best performing students for both Ordinary (O) level and Advanced (A) levels for the year 2010.

Teachers heading different departments were also rewarded for their outstanding contribution to the school’s academic performance.

Teso College is one of the oldest schools in eastern Uganda.

The Order of Merit is the most prestigious award given by the school to its former students who excel in Ordinary (O) level and Advanced (A) level examinations.

The school also recognized the contribution of the non-teaching staff towards the development of the institution.

The celebrations were presided over by the chairperson board of governors, Igulot, who was formerly the Soroti municipal education officer.

He was flanked by the chairperson of the parents-teachers association, Peter Okiria, and the executive committee members.

Igulot said the excellence award was meant to encourage students and teachers work harder and continue excelling.

He called upon the students to have a positive attitude towards studies.

The head teacher, Silvester Ocaatum, said the school had registered the highest pass rate since the end of the LRA insurgency in 2003.

A total of 92.85% of the candidates, who sat for 2010 “O” and “A” level examinations got two principal passes and qualify to join universities and other institutions of higher learning.

Ocaatum attributed the improved performance to hard work and discipline among students and teachers.

The director of studies, Cassian Ochieng, said of the 154 candidates who sat for “A” level examination last year, 143 qualify for university and other institutions of higher learning.