Teachers decry persistent challenges in implementing new curriculum
KAMPALA: A section of secondary school teachers has expressed concerns over the challenges they are currently facing with implementation of the new competence-based lower secondary curriculum. This is after the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) released the Project Theme for the 2026 Senior Three students.
According to the Board Spokesperson Ms. Jennifer Kalule, this year’s theme is dubbed, “Embracing creativity and practical skills for sustainable development of Society”. “The thematic areas of the Competence-Based Curriculum strive to instil in learners the 21 century skills, including critical thinking, communication, collaboration, practical application of knowledge as well as improved Information Technology skills”, she said.
However, many are finding it difficult to fully embrace and effectively implement the new curriculum and execute project work. Teachers and learners alike are navigating the uncharted territory, with varying levels of readiness and understanding across institutions.
In an interview with KFM, Ms. Stella Yamaro, the Director of Studies, Otapara Secondary School in Serere district said despite taking deliberate steps to prepare the students early, many of them still lag behind in terms of completion rate.
Mr. Peter Yele, also a Director of Studies at Lwakhakha Secondary School in Manafwa District says some students picked project work topics out of excitement and in the end, it became difficult for them to fund it or submit it on time.
“The project work is still a challenge, because the new curriculum is still in its inception and new things always come with challenges. Students pick projects out of excitement and along the way it becomes costly, and they fail to sustain it. However, we are doing everything it takes to bring all the stakeholders on board to solve that”, Yele said.
The Competence-Based Curriculum whose implementation commenced in 2020 requires learners to acquire project skills during the four years of the lower secondary cycle.The learners are tasked to undertake projects from Senior One to Senior Four.
According to project Assessment Framework, learners carry out simple routine projects in Senior One and Two, done individually or in a group for all the subjects offered. From Senior Three to Senior Four, students are required to carry out one integrated project that runs until the second term of Senior Four.
