BY
GRACE K BAGUMA
DEPUTY DIRECTOR
NATIONAL CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
UGANDA
And
CHRYSOSTOM KIBETI
DEPUTY SECRETARY (P)
UGANDA NATIONAL EXAMINATIONS BOARD
INTRODUCTION
 Uganda is found in East Africa
 Its education system has not changed much since the
colonial times Emphasis is on academic achievement
and preparation for the white collar jobs.
 The structure of the education system is as follows
 7 years primary seven
 4 years lower secondary (O’ levels)
 2 years higher secondary (A’ levels)
 3 – 5 years Tertiary Education
PRE-PRIMARY AND PRIMARY LEVEL
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THE PRE –PRIMARY LEVEL(nursery and kindergarten)
This level is not compulsory
Children join at age 3 - 6
It may or may not be attended depending on the ability of
the parents
Is regulated by government and run mainly by the private
sector
A syllabus has been developed by government
Inspectorate supervises the implementation of the
curriculum
PRE-PRIM AND PRIMARY…cont
 Primary Level
 There is a major reform going on at this level
 The primary level is divided into; a) Lower Primary
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b) Upper Primary
 Children join at age six
 It is compulsory and every parent is expected to take
their children to school(UPE) Policy
a) Lower Primary (6 to 8 Years)
 The curriculum at this level is organized in a Thematic
Approach.
 This is where different themes have been developed
and content to be taught organized in broad learning
areas referred to as strands.
 Emphasis at this level is on Literacy, Numeracy and
Life skills.
 Instructional materials used at this level are more of
non-textbook materials; charts, flash cards etc.
Teachers are also encouraged to use their own locally
developed materials to facilitate their lessons
a) Lower Primary (6 to 8 Years)
 The mode of assessment is continuous allowing the
teacher to progressively record the achievement of the
learner on a daily basis.
 A record card is used to document the achievements of
the learner.
 This allows for timely interventions by the teacher in
situations where there are children with special needs
and need remedial assistance.
b) Upper Primary P 5 -P 7 (approx 8
12 years)
 The curriculum at this level is subject based ,the
following subjects are taught:
 English
 Mathematics
 Integrated Science
 Social Studies
 Local Language
 Religious Studies
 Creative and performing Arts
UPPER PRIM cont….
Five of the subjects are assessed by the Uganda
National Examinations Board: English
 Mathematics
 Integrated Science
 Social Studies and Religious Education
Upper Primary P 5 -P 7 (approx
8 12 years) cont….
 With the current ongoing reform it is proposed that
continuous assessment will contribute a percentage of
the final marks.
 Currently only five subjects are considered at the end
of seven years, and these are examined by paper and
pen exam.
 The primary leaving certificate only indicates four
subjects. The assessment tends to concentrate only on
cognitive skills and does not test affective and
psychomotor domains.
SECONDARY LEVEL AND BTVET
 The current secondary education system is divided
into two levels; Lower secondary (O ’level and Higher
secondary A ’level)
 42 subjects are offered at secondary level, these
include; science related subjects, humanities,
mathematics, and skills subjects. The system is exam
oriented at the end of 4 years learners are subjected to
the end of level exam. Learners are expected to sit
exams for between 8 to 10 subjects.
subjects are offered in the
following broad areas
 They are categorised as follows:
 Humanities
 Mathematics
 Sciences
 Languages
 Art and Cultural studies
BTVET
 After primary level some of the learners enter BTVET
area – community polytechnic and Junior technical
Institutions
 The BTVET system continues up to tertiary level and
through to University to technology and engineering
related programmes
 This area also has many non –formal sectors like those
who learn through apprenticeship and short courses
How is the curricula developed
under the above mentioned levels
 Research and evaluation department identifies issues
 For most subjects there is a subject specialist, who
initiates content
 Subject panels are formed, to work for a period of 3
years
 The chairpersons of the subject panels are the
inspectors of schools
 Panels sit regularly to write curriculum content;
syllabuses, teachers guides, learners instructional
materials, sample teachers teaching aids, sample
schemes of work and assessment guides
Curr devt cont…
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Editing and review meetings are held to ensure quality
Materials specifications are made to guide publishers
Printing of the curriculum materials is done
Teachers orientation workshops are then organised to
expose the teachers to the new materials developed
 Follow up programmes are then arranged to ensure
that teachers are following the guidance given
 Continuous teacher support/refresher programmes are
continuous under the Teacher development
management system
Projects
 A number of projects are undertaken among them : CurriculumNet Project which deals with the
integration of ICTs into the curriculum – development
of ICT enhanced content
 Integration of HIV /AIDS, Road Safety, Life skills,and
Reproductive Health issues
 Integration of voter education
 Integration of capital markets content and Tax
education
NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF
PROGRESS IN EDUCATION(NAPE)
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This study is used to ascertain the national levels of
pupils learning achivements it started in 1996:To monitor the changes in the achievement levels
overtime
The classes covered are primary three and six
Covering numeracy, literacy and oral reading
The trend shows levels of improvement particularly in
numeracy over the years.
In 2008 NAPE tested s2 covering mathematics, english
and biology.
SPECIAL NEEDS
 The curriculum and assessment takes care of special
needs pupils and students
 Special Needs desks have been established at the
Curriculum and Assessment Institutions.
ICT POLICY ISSUES
 In Uganda there is an ICT policy under the ministry of
ICT.
 The ICT Education policy is in place
 Under the curriculum and assesment refroms ICT has
been integrated
THANK YOU