70390
Uganda Secondary Education & Training
Curriculum, Assessment & Examination (CURASSE)
Roadmap for Reform
Andrew Clegg (Sr. Education Advisor, Namibia – UK)
Wout Ottevanger (Sr. Education Consultant, Vrije University Amsterdam)
Jacob Bregman (Lead Education Specialist, SEIA-AFTHD, World Bank)
Harriet Nannyonjo (Senior Education Specialist, World Bank)
Kasha Klosowska (Consultant, SEIA, World Bank)
The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the
World Bank or any of its affiliated organizations
This report was produced in cooperation with the Uganda Ministry of Education and Sports.
Abbreviations used in this report ............................................................................................................. 3
Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................. 4
1 Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 8
2 An overview; why Uganda needs a new secondary curriculum. ................................................... 10
3 Challenges posed by the existing secondary education system ..................................................... 13
1 Issues related to the operation of the educational system .......................................................... 13
2 Issues related to the operation of the existing secondary education curriculum ........................ 16
4 Addressing the Challenges: Political level priorities ..................................................................... 19
1 Establishing a steering committee to oversee the reform process ............................................. 19
2 Tasks of the steering committee ................................................................................................ 19
3 Summary tables showing the political level priorities. .............................................................. 26
5 Addressing the challenges: Capacity and institutional development for facilitating the curriculum
reform process ....................................................................................................................................... 28
1 Tasks and activities .................................................................................................................... 28
2 Summary tables showing the technical level priorities.............................................................. 30
6 Addressing the Challenges: Developing the new secondary curriculum ....................................... 33
1 The curriculum framework ........................................................................................................ 33
2 Addressing curriculum overload ................................................................................................ 33
3 The curriculum statements ......................................................................................................... 33
4 Programs of study ...................................................................................................................... 34
5 Examination syllabuses.............................................................................................................. 34
6 Scope and sequence tables ......................................................................................................... 35
7 Compulsory and optional subjects ............................................................................................. 35
8 Building cost-efficiency into the curriculum subjects ............................................................... 36
9 Vocational subjects in the SE curriculum .................................................................................. 36
10 Assessing a broad ability range ............................................................................................. 37
7 Secondary curriculum reform time line ......................................................................................... 41
1 Immediate, short-term and longer term actions ......................................................................... 41
2 Timeline summary table ............................................................................................................ 41
3 Immediate actions proposed ...................................................................................................... 45
3 Short term actions ...................................................................................................................... 45
8 Addressing the immediate problems posed by the implementation of USE. ................................. 47
Annex A ................................................................................................................................................. 49
Curriculum Development and Research ............................................................................................ 49
Annex B ................................................................................................................................................. 50
Educational structure options ............................................................................................................ 50
Annex C ................................................................................................................................................. 55
The Curriculum Framework and its relationship to other curriculum documents ............................. 55
Annex D ................................................................................................................................................. 57
Teacher supply and demand .............................................................................................................. 57
Annex E ................................................................................................................................................. 59
Coordinator for Working Group ........................................................................................................ 59
Annex F ................................................................................................................................................. 60
Issues raised at the Curasse consultative workshop ........................................................................... 60
Annex G ................................................................................................................................................. 62
Persons consulted............................................................................................................................... 62
Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) ............................................................................................ 62
Education Standards Agency (ESA) .................................................................................................. 62
Ministry of Education and Sports ...................................................................................................... 62
National Curriculum Development Centre (Kyambogi) .................................................................... 62
Secondary Schools ............................................................................................................................. 63
Teacher Education Department ......................................................................................................... 63
Uganda National Council for Science and Technology ..................................................................... 64
Uganda National Examination Board ................................................................................................ 64
Universities ........................................................................................................................................ 64
Annex H ................................................................................................................................................. 65
Summary of Results of a short survey of key stakeholders ............................................................... 65
Annex J .................................................................................................................................................. 69
Documents consulted ......................................................................................................................... 69
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 2 of 71
CURASSE Curriculum – Assessment – Examinations
DIT Directorate of Institutional Training
EFA Education For All (one of the MDGs)
EFAG Education Funding Agency Group
EMIS Education Management Information System
ESA Education Standards Agency
ESIP Education Strategic Investment Plan
ESSP Education Sector Strategic Plan 2004-2015 (June 2004)
GOU Government of Uganda
MDG Millennium Development Goals
MoES Ministry of Education and Sports
NTC National Teachers College
NCDC National Curriculum Development Centre
PPES Post-primary Education Sector
PPET Post-primary Education and Training
SE Secondary Education
TA Technical Assistance
UNEB Uganda National Examination Board
UNCST Uganda National Council for Science and Technology
UPE Universal Primary Education
USE Universal Secondary Education
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 3 of 71
Uganda has taken the decision to proceed rapidly from a secondary system designed for a small
academic elite to one designed for the whole age cohort. Only one other country in sub-Saharan
Africa, South Africa, has fully implemented this change; in others, such as Botswana and Namibia, the
process is under way. There are therefore few role models on the continent; Uganda is essentially
breaking new ground.
Most middle- and higher income countries have made curriculum reform a continuous process
in response to the rapidly changing demands from their labor markets. However, Uganda faces
the challenge of first undertaking a more fundamental “adjustment�? of the post-primary system in
order to (a) allow USE to be developed in sync with economic development demands for the 21st
century; (b) respond to the increasing numbers of primary graduates as the MDG of primary education
for all is achieved in the near future; and (c) reduce the unsustainably high cost of the current system.
The change in Uganda from an exclusive system serving the elite to an inclusive one that is
designed to support the effort of every individual to climb as high as possible up the educational
ladder, is a major one that will have an impact on every aspect of the curriculum process. It will
involve long-term political decisions as well as a considerable re-orientation exercise for professional
staff at all levels. It has often been observed that countries that have managed this transition most
successfully and with popular support are those that have also faced other social upheavals such as
recovery from a war or the kind of social changes associated with gaining political independence.
Neither of these conditions applies in Uganda and the difficulties associated with the change
management cannot be over-emphasized.
The “Curasse Roadmap�? report looks in detail into why the curriculum change is required. The
main reason is the need to change the curriculum from an exclusive one characterized by high entry
qualifications and high failure rates to an inclusive one which is open to all and rewards achievement,
however meager. The economic argument for change is also a strong one. Currently the unit cost of
secondary education is around seven times that of primary, whereas other countries have reduced this
to around two times (ref. Keith Lewin, SEIA thematic study). The reasons for the high cost are
examined section 4) and they are mainly the current high cost of many subjects and also the inefficient
way it is managed; the secondary PTR is reportedly around 20 which is very low by comparison with
what is achievable internationally. A third important reason is that the existing curriculum is not
delivering the kind of skills that the labor market requires to meet the emerging needs of the nation.
Inevitably execution of the Curasse Roadmap will require a reflection on the role and
responsibilities of the various “education management actors�?, notably the MOES and its
decentralized units, and the institutional framework which should guarantee the quality and
efficiency of the services delivered and its outputs (i.e. quality of graduates, teaching, and
managers and teachers). In this context the MOES could look at the best practices in other countries
(for example South Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, and some European countries, notably Scotland,
England and the Netherlands). International experience indicates that decentralized management with
a “solid and transparent�? assessment system, and involvement of all major stakeholders is the ‘current
norm�?. The proposed Roadmap would aim to make the delivery of secondary education and training
services more efficient (at reduced unit-costs, so that more coverage can be achieved in a sustainable
manner) and of better quality (so that Uganda’s economic development goals can be better served).
The report argues strongly that the curriculum reform should be preceded by a reconsideration
of the secondary education structure (section 4). It is suggested that a new leaving point be
established after S2 to replace P7, creating 9 years basic education for all, a system now very common
worldwide. After this ninth year, a variety of diversified and non-compulsory education tracks can be
developed including the existing academic track of S3-S4 and existing options of specialized
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 4 of 71
vocational and technical training institutions (rather than at secondary schools). A compulsory junior
secondary curriculum based around a limited number of core subjects, could culminate in a USE
leaving examination. However, the value of such a “leaving diploma�? would be determined by its
recognition by the main “economic actors�? in Uganda.
A key feature of the proposed curriculum reform should be the separation of the curriculum
from its assessment (section 6). The curriculum would then determine what is taught and also what is
examined and how. The curriculum would be developed within an overarching curriculum
framework. This framework should specify the governing principles on which the curriculum would
be built and implemented. In addition to the aims of secondary education, this framework would
specify not only what is taught but also how it should be taught and how it should be assessed. It
would specify the curriculum time balance between subject areas, how the teaching should address all
abilities, what minimum resources are needed. Within this framework, subject statements would be
developed. Some research will be required at an early stage to determine what the labor market
requires in terms of the profiles of those graduating from the system at its different levels. These
graduate profiles will need to be built into the curriculum framework.
The curriculum framework and the subject statements would then be used to develop recommended
programs of study (and associated materials) for use in schools and also examination syllabuses. Both
the programs (and their pedagogy) and the examinations should be appropriate for a wide range of
abilities, both of which will therefore be novel developments in Uganda. These will have considerable
implications for the training of examiners, school leaders and teachers.
A strong team will be required to take the Curasse reform forward (sections 4 and 5). This
should be directed by a high level steering committee able to make executive decisions and hence
probably chaired by the minister of education. Such a steering committee would also include some
key representatives from the private sector. The Curasse reform would be implemented by a technical
working group answerable to the steering committee. A key feature of the technical working group
would be a series of sub-committees established to develop specific elements of the curriculum. The
whole process should be advised by a consultative committee widely representative of civil society.
The technical working team would be treading what, for Uganda, is new ground and would benefit
from external technical assistance.
Developing, implementing and monitoring the new curriculum will require the coordinated
action by many of the institutions involved with curriculum development, assessment, teacher
education, professional development and quality control. The capacity of these institutions to
provide the support necessary should be assessed and gaps addressed (section 5). New programs,
standards and procedures will be required by these institutions and they should be developed with the
help of technical assistance, study tours, etc.
A timeline is proposed for the secondary curriculum reform. It identifies three kinds of activities:
Activities that are pre-requisites for planning the reform. These include political decisions on
the structure of secondary education and the principles that underpin its aims and content.
They include the steps needed to establish (and fund) the necessary structures to carry out the
reform and also the initiation of a capacity review. These should begin as soon as possible.
Activities to lay the foundations of the reform. These are mainly concerned with the
development of the secondary curriculum framework and the clarification of the principles
that underpin it. Also important are the steps to be taken by the various institutions involved –
teacher education institutions, the standards agency, the examinations council, etc– to ensure
that they are fully ready to play their role. These should happen within the first year of the
reform process.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 5 of 71
Activities that are part of the reform proper. These include finalizing the framework,
developing subject statements, developing programs of study, teaching and learning materials
and sample question papers, etc. These should begin probably in the second year of the
reform process.
Some actions will be needed to ensure that the immediate challenges posed by USE are
addressed. Secondary curriculum reform of this nature typically take about 5-8 years to complete
from initiation to the point where the first cohort through the new program leaves the system. USE
cannot wait for this and therefore some interim measures are proposed to address the immediate needs
of USE (section 8) which will, in any case, be ultimately elements of the reform.
Many middle- and higher income countries worldwide have been through this reform process in
the last 2-3 decades. This is particularly useful because it means that the results of their reform
endeavors (and even more usefully, critiques of them) are available on the Worldwide Web. Together
they form a wealth of interesting and different examples from which Uganda can learn. A number of
addresses are supplied in this document and search engines will reveal many more. It is proposed that
steering committee members and key staff (selected technical working group members) undertake one
or more study tours to look in more detail at international best practices. It is also advisable that
Uganda could benefit from the necessary longer-term technical assistance by contracting one or more
suitable curriculum and assessment institutions which have international experience. This would
facilitate the process and also avoid the use of ad-hoc individual consultants. The Curasse reform
process is a multiple year process, which should have agreement among the major stakeholders and be
adjusted as implementation moves along. Support from international development partners would be
greatly beneficial and would open up technical assistance sources that could provide guidance and
advise as needed. Based on international experience it can also be concluded that when the Curasse
Reform Roadmap starts to be implemented many aspects of the Uganda education system will be
affected and would be subject to change in response. Also, curriculum change processes are
continuous, and after this more fundamental change, Uganda’s secondary education and training sub-
system will need to continue to adapt in response to economic growth in the country.
Next Steps
1. Discussion and review of this report by the Uganda Government to enable the provision of
feedback for finalization of the Curasse roadmap. A number of key decisions have to be made
before much of the detailed planning of the roadmap can commence, one of which is the agreement in
principle to embark on the kind of major reform process described.
2. Establishing a management structure (by Ministry of Education and Sports) to carry forward
the Curasse Roadmap reform. A political level steering committee is proposed to which the
technical level working group is answerable. A consultative committee is suggested as a mechanism
for ensuring wide stakeholder consultation. Technical sub-committees of the working group will be
needed to carry out the detailed work
3. Initiate debate on key issues at a political level and with national stakeholders and local
development partners. The key decision is what SE structure should replace the current one. A
natural corollary to this debate will be a media campaign to ensure the public is properly informed.
4. Initiate the development of a renewed curriculum framework. This will require a number of
key political level decisions but also the production of a strategy paper that develops criteria and
various options for addressing these in the framework. Technical assistance (a loger term institutional
TA with one or more international curriculum and assessment institutions that have the required
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 6 of 71
professional experience) will be desirable for this. Examples from other countries, particularly those
who have recently gone through the same reform will be helpful.
5. Study tour by key members of the working group and steering committee. A visit to other
countries to study curriculum issues first hand should be arranged. Scotland and South Africa provide
examples that, for different reasons, deserve attention; the former has a clear, well thought-through
framework and the latter is an African country that has recently been through the process.
6. Establish a serviced office and appoint a ‘champion’ to drive the change. The office must have
a good, preferably full-time, internet connection and related hardware. A web-site will be needed. A
champion coordinator is needed to drive the process, see Annex E for a job description of such a
champion.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 7 of 71
1. This is a draft “Curriculum – Assessment – Examinations (Curasse) Roadmap for Reform�? in
Uganda. It was prepared a small team of experts comprising Andrew Clegg (Sr. Education Advisor,
Namibia - UK), Jacob Bregman (Lead Education Specialist, AFTHD-SEIA, World Bank), Wout
Ottevanger (Sr. Education Consultant, Vrije University Amsterdam, Netherlands), and The team
visited Uganda between July 20 – August 4, 2007. The mission team was coordinated by Harriet
Nannyonjo (Sr. Education Specialist. AFTH1, World Bank). Kasha Klosowska (SEIA Education
Consultant, World Bank) assisted with research and provided overall support. The team worked in
closely with the Uganda Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES) and consulted with MOES staff,
secondary school principals and teachers, and staff from Ugandan Education Institutions and
Universities. Support from the MOES management and NCDC staff is gratefully acknowledged.
2. Overall we found that the need for fundamental reform of the secondary education curriculum,
assessment, and examinations system was strongly supported and hotly debated. This provided us
with many “angles of reflection and creative ideas�?. The workshop with Ugandan educators, school
principals and teachers, organized by the MOES, provided a rich forum for debate and many valuable
“points of view�?. Nobody in Uganda underestimated the challenges that the country faces in view of
the “surge�? of primary graduates and the pressures of economic growth. One of the “red threads�? that
weaved through all our discussions with “practitioners�? was the need to involve secondary school
principals and teachers at an early stage in the Curasse Roadmap implementation, and to provide them
with adequate training and professional support. This was earmarked as one of the critical elements
for success and is confirmed by international experience.
3. The Terms of References (Annex K) for the Curasse Roadmap for Reform study were issued
by the Uganda MOES. This draft report will be discussed further in meetings with the MoES and its
stakeholders in the coming months. The report focuses on Uganda’s secondary education and training
sub-sector, and within that context exclusively on the Curriculum – Assessment – Examinations issues
and inter-relationships. It is based on field visits, discussions with key Ministry of Education and
Sports officials, a stakeholders’ workshop, a survey among stakeholders and review of documents
provided by the curriculum taskforce. A list of persons consulted can be found in Annex G and
consulted documents and literature references can be found in Annex J to this report.
4. This report takes into account the conclusions and recommendations from the 3rd Regional
SEIA Conference, held in Accra, Ghana in April 2007. Delegations from over 38 African countries
and international development partners participated in this conference to discuss the future of
Secondary Education and Training In Africa (SEIA). Reform in secondary education should start by
considering what African students should learn and what their schools should teach in order to face the
challenges of the 21st century and promote economic growth in the region. This requires a fresh
approach to the structure of the curriculum, setting ambitious standards of learning, introducing
modern assessment tools, and ensuring that examinations measure what they are supposed to. Uganda
is one of the first African countries to consider far-reaching changes to its secondary schools in order
to make its secondary system more compatible with economic growth and labor markets demands.
Fundamental changes to the secondary education curriculum structure require agreement between the
major stakeholders, intensive support for teachers and schools, and long-term commitment by
decision-makers. International best practices point to an average period of 5-8 years for reform
measures to “take root�?. For these reasons it goes without saying that a national Curasse reform
requires a clear and transparent “Roadmap�?.
5. The report is divided into 8 sections. Section 2, after this introduction, provides a summary
overview of the main reasons why the secondary curriculum reform. Section 3 discusses the main
shortcomings of the existing curriculum in addressing the needs of the expanded intake into secondary
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 8 of 71
education. Sections 4, 5 and 6 propose mechanisms to address the problem issues at the political,
institutional and curriculum levels respectively. Section 7 provides an outline of the roadmap.
Section 8 recommends mechanisms for addressing a number of short-term difficulties consequent
upon the decision to implement USE before an appropriate curriculum structure has been developed.
The report also includes short technical annexes on key issues.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 9 of 71
Uganda is at an educational crossroads. It is one of very few countries on the continent that has begun
the process of revising its secondary education system to make it appropriate for the whole age cohort
rather than a selected few. Moving from a system which served an academic elite to one which serves
the whole age cohort is a major exercise that goes far beyond simply reducing the number of subjects
on offer. This section outlines the reasons why a major revision is necessary. It should be emphasized
that such a change will not undermine the way the existing system serves the most able, in fact it
should improve it; the revision process most certainly should not ‘throw the baby out with the
bathwater’.
1 The teaching methodologies inbuilt in the existing syllabuses do not promote effective
learning and acquisition of skills. Because the existing curriculum is largely a collection of
examination syllabuses, their teaching is directed at achieving the highest grade in the examination as
are the textbooks written for them. The examinations assess, in the main, knowledge only, with very
few marks given for showing an understanding of how to apply knowledge. Skills remain largely
unassessed, other than a very limited range of rather insignificant ones in, for example, science
practical examinations. Hence skills remain largely untaught even when their mastery is a stated
curriculum objective. Careful curriculum design, linked to effective assessment and learning
materials, has been shown to be major factor in improving pedagogy. Importantly, active learning
approaches that characterize effective modern pedagogy, value the existing knowledge of the learner
and stimulate the integration new knowledge with it. Very little of this is reported to take place at this
moment in secondary classrooms in Uganda and yet it is a cornerstone for creating the kind of
competencies demanded by the 21st century changing workplace and roles in society.
2 The existing curriculum, for historical reasons, is greatly overloaded. Slimming down an
existing curriculum is an almost impossible exercise as is evident from the many attempts already
made in Uganda. This is exacerbated in Uganda by the lack of an agreed curriculum framework to
guide the process. Larry Cuban of Stanford University has suggested that this process is somewhat
more difficult than landing a man on the moon. (He has also suggested–equally relevant to the
Ugandan situation–that curriculum developers should be wary of all sorts of demands from society
that will unnecessarily lead to a cluttered curriculum, or as he succinctly put it ‘Schools should not
feel obliged to scratch the back of society every time society has an itch.’1) The current curriculum
overload cannot be corrected by simply merging and removing content.
3 The existing curriculum does not address the needs of the majority of students now
entering secondary education. The existing curriculum is exclusive; it is a filtration system for
excluding all but an academic elite. Failure rates, particularly in key subjects such as mathematics and
physics are unacceptably high; reportedly as high as 50%. The revision should so structure the
curriculum that it will be inclusive; it should address the needs of all children and also lay the
foundation for an improved pedagogy (and assessment procedures) that will allow learners more
effectively to realize their full potential, however limited. In short, it should be an effective instrument
for driving up standards rather than one that merely sets such standards.
1
Cuban, L. (1992). Curriculum stability and change. In P. Jackson (Ed.), Handbook of research on curriculum
(pp. 216-247). New York: Macmillan.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 10 of 71
4 The existing secondary curriculum does not adequately address the social and economic
needs of the country. Uganda, like the rest of Africa, is experiencing a period of steady economic
growth. Sustaining this will require a flexible and technologically literate labor force at all levels.
There is much evidence that the existing curriculum is not addressing these needs adequately. More
evidence should be collected to throw more light on this as part of the process to develop the new
curriculum framework. It is not the very top academic cadre that contributes most to GDP growth but
the much larger cadres of competent middle-level technicians. It is these groups in society that the
current system does not serve well. The expanded secondary curriculum should be designed to meet
their needs as well as those of the academic elite.
5 The existing curriculum is not sufficiently flexible to address emerging fields of
knowledge. The existing curriculum dates from the 1970s. Much of its content and the pedagogy it
promotes betrays its age. Periodic updating has introduced more modern content but little has been
removed to make room for it; this is a major factor contributing to the current overload. This process
has now reached its limit and it is unable to accommodate the increasingly large changes demanded of
it so that it adequately addresses emerging fields of knowledge, particularly those related to
technology (for example, areas of the science curriculum significant by their absence include earth
sciences, space science, electronics and logic circuits.) A new curriculum will not only allow a new
start to be made to ensure that these areas are included, but also will permit a much more dynamic
design so that future changes can more readily be accommodated.
6 Key characteristics required of the 21st century curriculum are missing. The existing
curriculum (in common with that of many countries that are either developing or in transition) is a
static one in which learners, driven by the need to succeed in a high-stakes examination, are forced to
learn a mass of knowledge that is largely abstract, fact-centred, decontextualized and irrelevant. The
deep conservatism of the curriculum which has remained unchanged except in small detail for some
30-40 years contrasts dramatically with the rapidly changing demands made of the 21st Century
workforce. The challenge is to create a curriculum that builds metacognitive abilities and skills so that
individuals–and the country–are better placed to adapt to the changing workplace and their changing
roles in society.
What this means for the curriculum is that there must be a major move from ‘knowing that’ to
‘knowing how’; a move from absorbing factual knowledge to developing knowledge competencies.
This includes, for example, abilities to;
�?� learn how to learn and learn how to think and be self-directed learner and
�?� be an innovator and problem solver;
�?� access and critically evaluate knowledge, selecting information that is useful from the mass
of information that increasing floods 21st century society;
�?� work constructively in teams;
�?� develop active and productive citizenship skills and be globally aware;
�?� apply knowledge and skills effectively to novel or difficult situations;
�?� create, change and transfer knowledge;
�?� communicate knowledge effectively using a variety of media.
These are all rather abstract-sounding competencies but well-constructed and organized modern
competency-oriented curricula are able to build all of them into clear curriculum statements across the
range of subjects and years. Modern assessment programs are able to assess them and, above all, well-
constructed interactive teaching and learning materials and methods can emerge that are appropriate
for inculcating them.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 11 of 71
7 The unit costs of the existing system are unsustainably high to allow it to expand much
further within the existing resource constraints. It costs roughly 7 times as much to teach a learner for
a year in secondary school than in primary school. There are a number of contributory factors to this.
One factor is the low PTR due in part to low teaching loads but also to small numbers in many
optional subject classes. Another reason for the high unit cost is the high cost of many of the subjects
as they are currently taught (and examined), particularly technical, vocational and science subjects.
The curriculum review should aim to remove many of the inefficiencies that are built into the current
system. It should address inefficiencies associated with implementation, those associated with the
system structure and also those associated with the cost-effectiveness of teaching individual subjects
that are built into the curriculum statements (for example, the existing science subjects are typical of
the high cost syllabuses characteristic of the 1970s).
These points are elaborated further in the following sections. Section 3 looks in more detail at these
challenges and Sections 4, 5 and 6 propose solutions to the challenges at the political, institutional and
curriculum levels. In these chapters, the word ‘curriculum’ is used as meaning a ‘plan for learning’.
This, of course, is much more than merely the documents that describe the plan. The definition
embraces the three levels of the “intended curriculum�? (as stated in the documents), the “implemented
curriculum�? (as it is interpreted by the teachers and operationalized in the classroom), and the
“attained curriculum�? (as expressed in learner outcomes. This concept of the curriculum is expanded
in Annex A. It follows that planning a curriculum revision, if it is to be a purposeful exercise,
involves much more than simply rewriting syllabuses and related documents.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 12 of 71
This section elaborates the challenges faced by the secondary curriculum reform that were outlined in
section 2.
1 Issues related to the operation of the educational system
The greatly increased influx into post primary education is imposing a substantial strain on the
system. Implementation of a program to increase access to post primary education has led to an
almost 50 percent increase in senior one enrolment (S1) in just one year. This has been a consequence
of the need to absorb the growing number of primary school leavers emerging from universal primary
education. It is also a consequence of the recognition that secondary education graduates are one of
the key ingredients to build and expand the human capital needed for economic growth and social
development. Existing school buildings and teaching staff numbers will not be sufficient to respond to
this increase through to S4 and radical measures will be required such as double-shifting to provide
physical accommodation and emergency retraining in shortage subjects to provide teachers. The
existing curriculum, designed for a narrow academic elite will prove increasingly inappropriate for this
USE intake and is a major cost driver. This will require both short-term emergency solutions and
longer term solutions built into the new curriculum that will eventually emerge.
Large variations in access and quality are evident countrywide. The curriculum reform should
take into account the current inequity in both access and quality in the Uganda SE system. Only 6 per
cent of children of the poorest 25 per cent of families complete secondary education, compared with
22 per cent from the richest 25 per cent. There is a considerable difference in the performance of the
elite schools, most close to Kampala, and the remoter rural schools. This is not solely a
methodological and resource issue, it also requires a curriculum that is sensitive to the needs of all
learners (included the most gifted and talented children). At implementation level of the new
secondary curriculum financing needs should be considered. The government would most probably
want to ensure that the poorer rural and urban schools would receive more resources at first, until an
equalization level is reached. In general, the funding mechanisms and incentive system for quality-
delivery of SE public and private schools in Uganda will require some thinking and planning. Many
countries work with formula-funding. This system would have to be developed in Uganda, in a way
“by doing the funding system can be renewed and re-invented�?. Of course there will be some
powerful “current interest groups�? that would want to protect the status-quo situation. However, this
“natural resistance�? can be overcome if a broad national forum for discussions with major stakeholders
is established. To face the economic demands, most of the inequities between secondary schools
would need to be minimalized, while competition for better quality and greater efficiency of delivery
should continue to be encouraged. Of course, this requires that “what is the quality and efficiency we
seek as a Uganda society and economy�? would need to be redefined.
Aligning the SE curriculum with reforms in primary education. The SE curriculum reform efforts
must align with the new thematic primary curriculum. Scope and sequence charts for all subject areas
should be drawn up to show clear progression through all years, from P1 to S4.
Aligning the SE curriculum with international benchmarks. The existing curriculum has remained
largely unchanged for many decades. Since that time international quality and relevance standards and
benchmarks such as those of TIMSS and PISA (OECD) and international English language
proficiency standards have emerged and much research has thrown light on how curricula should be
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 13 of 71
designed for effective learning. These have emphasized deficiencies in the existing curriculum
structure and addressing these should be elements of the design specifications for the revised
curriculum.
Addressing the needs of all abilities. The existing SE curriculum caters only for a narrow academic
elite. Partly as a consequence of this, S4 failure rates, particularly in subjects such as mathematics, are
very high, representing a substantial wastage of resources. A major challenge for the revised
curriculum is how to address the needs of the full ability range and how to include mechanisms for the
early diagnosis of learning difficulties.
Class size and effective pedagogy; how to balance the trade-off between quality and quantity.
An effective practical pedagogy is incompatible with very large class sizes. Unrestrained admission to
schools under USE will inevitably impact on quality. While it would be possible to create a secondary
curriculum that to an extent is responsive to the pedagogical limitations posed by very large classes,
this would mean that key practical elements would be largely excluded. A challenge for the USE plan
is how to develop achievable staffing and accommodation norms and standards together with target
dates for meeting them. In parallel, the school programs of study that evolve from the new curriculum
will have to address the reality of large classes through options such as small tutorial groups to
complement them, the use of ICT, special needs programs, etc. Already existing best practice can be
emulated.
Aligning the curriculum with the needs of further education, the workplace and society. A
significant issue is that these needs are not well understood or documented and a pre-requisite for the
SE curriculum development exercise should be a survey of market needs to rectify this and to provide
a graduate profile for those leaving secondary education at the different exit points and this in turn will
feed into the overall aims and objectives of the curriculum and those of its subject areas. A different,
but related, challenge is to ensure either that the new curriculum addresses the entry needs of further
education, or (more difficult but more satisfactory) that the entry requirements of further education are
adapted to the new graduate profile of the new secondary education.
Reducing the high unit costs of secondary education. SE unit costs are now around 7 times primary
unit costs. A sustainable ratio, which should be a target for the reform, should be around 2, or even
less. Reduction of this will require a multifaceted strategy, only part of which is linked directly to the
curriculum. The high cost of the 4-2 structure of secondary education is a major problem. Other
structures can be envisaged that are more cost efficient. (Annex B). A study of how other countries
have addressed the trade-off between cost and quality would provide valuable information for the
reform process.
Reducing the cost of the secondary curriculum. To an extent, curriculum reform can reduce the unit
costs of secondary education by reducing built-in cost drivers, (particularly if they are generally
regarded anyway as redundant such as in the case of the high-cost science curriculum). But systemic
reforms will also be needed such as reducing, or even eliminating, the number of high-cost options in
the formal SE system most of which are vocational. A revised educational structure under which,
high-cost vocational and trades subjects are moved to more cost-effective vocational institutions after
S2 should be considered as a priority. A lower cost pre-vocational compulsory program in the formal
SE system, taking up for around (say) 15-20% of the curriculum time could be envisaged but this
whole area of the relationship between vocational education and academic education represents and
unsolved issue that should be revisited as part of the SE and TVET reforms; solutions are possible, but
probably not within the conventional structures of either component.
Sufficient support will be needed by good low-fee private schools. The existence of a large number
of private secondary schools must be seen as a strength of the existing system; it is an effective cost-
sharing mechanism. The low-fee private schools are an important part of the USE program and it is
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 14 of 71
vital that the capitation allowance they receive is not too small to allow them to flourish and to permit
viable programs that ensure that classes are not too large to impact seriously on quality. Fixing this
capitation allowance at a sustainable level will require some detailed monitoring as the revised
curriculum is implemented; current evidence suggests that the capitation support may be too low.
Ensuring ownership of the main reform principles by the main stakeholders is crucial for success.
School principals, teachers, parents, and professional organizations (unions, teacher training colleges,
employer organizations) should be ‘on board’ regarding the key principles of the reform. The
difficulty of this task should not be underestimated and will require considerable political skills and
courage and time. It is made particularly difficult by the fact that the reform can easily be
misperceived as the erosion of quality. It is no coincidence that such reforms in other countries have
been greatly aided by external factors such as the need for a rapid economic recovery after conflict or,
as in South Africa and Namibia, the over-riding need to address apartheid inequities.
The capacity of those driving the reform. The reform is a major exercise. It will necessitate both
elements of reorientation among decision makers and capacity development, both human and
institutional, among those tasked with doing the work and with monitoring it. Both these demand
early needs assessments followed by the necessary action; all involved must have an agreed clear
vision of what has to be done, the measures needed to do it, how the measures will be implemented
and by whom. Experience elsewhere has shown that it is crucial that this process must include teacher
education institutions.
Quality assurance mechanisms remain inadequate. Despite positive developments in the
effectiveness of the inspectorate, it is still inadequate to monitor the implementation of a secondary
curriculum change while it is still fully involved with the same task in the primary phase. Novel
monitoring mechanisms will be required.
Teacher supply does not meet the demands of USE. The country is currently oversupplied with
teachers in some areas of the curriculum and under-supplied in others, particularly the sciences and
mathematics. Redressing this balance early will be essential if the curriculum reform is to succeed,
not least to avoid significant retrenchment of teachers in contracting subject areas. Current teacher
education programs are ‘front-end-loaded’ with a relatively small (by international standards) school
practice and the post-training probationary period, although it exists, does not seem to have much
meaning. This, together with the minimal support for continuous professional development, implies
that teacher training is seen as once-off process; a teacher once trained is trained for life. Countries
that have developed modern responsive curricula have realized that teacher education is a lifelong
process in which the initial teacher training programs are but the beginning. Further, the country will
need to develop teacher education standards against which the effectiveness of teachers and
professional development programs can be evaluated. A sound foundation for quality in teaching and
learning should be used to upon which to build an effective and innovative SE curriculum reform.
USE teacher cost will be unsustainable without planned cost-reduction measures. Although
planning adequate teacher numbers would not normally regarded as an element of a curriculum road
map, it is undoubtedly the case that many of the inefficiencies currently evident in the system (low
PTR, long teaching days, small classes) have arisen as a result of the development over time of an
increasingly complex and overloaded curriculum. Efficient teacher deployment must be one of the
design specifications for the new curriculum. Equally, the teacher education and support process will
require a radical overhaul if it is to continue to meet the demands in a cost-effective manner of a
dynamic curriculum into the future.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 15 of 71
2 Issues related to the operation of the existing secondary education curriculum
Increased access to post primary education has led to almost 50 percent increase in S1
enrolment over just one year. Failure to absorb the growing number of primary school leavers will
undermine Universal Primary Education and broader national goals like the elimination of poverty.
SE graduates are also one of the key ingredients needed to build and expand human capital for
economic social development. However, the current SE curriculum is regarded as good at addressing
the needs of a small elite opting for further academic studies at the tertiary level. (A recent workshop
of SE stakeholders pointed out that Ugandans work overseas in high profile jobs much to the
satisfaction of their employers). With the present USE strategy in place, it is now necessary to reform
the SE curriculum to accommodate the needs of the much larger and more heterogeneous group of
students. The existing focus results in unacceptably high failure rates, particularly in subjects such as
mathematics and science. The revised SE curriculum should address the needs of all abilities and the
examination system should reward achievement (however limited) rather than create failures. This will
not only require a major re-evaluation of what is the appropriate content of a modern curriculum but
will also necessitate the development of a wider range of assessment tools appropriate for the wider
range of competencies that will become more significant in the expanded system.
The absence of any overarching guiding curriculum document is one reason why the existing
curriculum is not able to meet the demands of the economy. There is no framework overarching
the various subject syllabuses which (among other things) outlines the overall learning goals, the
general education goals defined in the White Paper on Education, or the profile of graduates from the
system. The absence of such a document means that the schools use the examination syllabuses as
their curriculum. This, in turn, means that many key skills and competencies are not taught simply
because they cannot be (or are not) readily assessed. Most countries that have undergone a
successful reform have delinked the curriculum from assessment.
The SE curriculum is overloaded and anachronistic. Overload is evident from the number of
subjects in the curriculum (41 and recently reduced to 22) and by the observations in the Chief
Examiner’s reports that – in spite of 50 teaching periods per week – complete syllabus coverage is
seldom achieved. The SE curriculum is outdated in its strong emphasis on subject content at the
expense of a focus on marketable skills and competencies. It is also anachronistic in that many
subjects, most particularly the sciences, have failed to reflect not only major epistemological and
philosophical changes in our understanding of the subjects over the past half century but also changes
in our understanding of what constitutes the important elements of knowledge that school syllabuses
should reflect. This is particularly evident in the A-level sciences.
The teaching styles promoted by the overloaded content-heavy curriculum are do not generate
the skills needed by a 21st century workforce. The prevalent teaching style is almost solely in the
form of teacher dominated classroom with silent learners. It is driven by the need for learners to
succeed in a high-stakes examination where success is determined in the main by an ability to learn a
mass of knowledge that is largely abstract, fact-centred, decontextualized and irrelevant. The
challenge is to create a curriculum that promotes teaching styles aimed at building the key
metacognitive abilities and skills necessitated by changing workplace skills and changing roles of
individuals in society.
Textbooks are oriented towards the kind of rote learning and mechanical exam question
answering that conspire to ensure good marks but minimal understanding of the subject. May
of the science textbooks, for example, are published in England and date from the 1940s and 1950s
when English science syllabuses were content laden serving examinations that promoted rote learning
and the solving of routine problems by the application of algorithms. New locally produced textbooks
are, inevitably, in largely the same mould. The curriculum revision must seek to break out of this cycle
to produce well-organized modern competency-oriented curricula that lead in turn to interactive
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 16 of 71
teaching and learning materials and methods and assessment programs appropriate for monitoring
them.
The approach of reducing/merging subjects starting from current situation will not lead to the
kind of curriculum required by the country. Recent reform efforts took the approach of attempting
to reduce the overall number of subjects mainly by grouping existing ones. This has not reached a
satisfactory conclusion in part because there has been little consensus on what should be removed
from the curriculum to lighten individual subject load. Lessons from elsewhere (Namibia, South
Africa) and, given the lack of an existing curriculum framework, suggest that a much more productive
mechanism would be to start from a clean slate, based on aims of secondary education, and develop
criteria for inclusion rather than removal of subject components. This would also allow developers to
take cognizance of international trends and benchmarks.
The SE curriculum fails adequately to address contemporary needs. Over the past 30 years the
SE curriculum has only been changed by adding content. In spite of new subjects and new content
being added, important major areas remain excluded. Some key areas in the sciences such as earth
sciences, an area of emerging economic significance, have no mention. This kind of revision has
significantly failed to address changes in the needs of society at a local and national level which ask
for students who also have the necessary generic skills on which employers can build. The revised
curriculum should be dynamic and be capable of rapid changes in response to such needs. In
particular, it should be able to embrace fully and quickly, emerging subject areas such as ICT
Many subjects in the existing curriculum are expensive to teach effectively. This is particularly the
case with the sciences and vocational subjects. Good modern science teaching methodology makes
considerably less demand on expensive facilities and equipment. The cost of teaching is best taken
into account in the curriculum design rather than be seen as a compromise exercise when the teaching
schemes are developed. The cost effectiveness of practical examinations should be examined
carefully; tested examples of better, more effective, and less costly alternatives are available.
There is a danger that important cross-cutting curriculum elements fail to receive due attention.
In recent decades many important topics have emerged that have no single natural home in the
curriculum. These include democracy education, HIV and Aids, health education and environmental
education. They are best taught by integrating them in ‘carrier subjects’ across the curriculum. This
must happen in a systematic manner and they should be assessed. The revision process offers an
opportunity to evaluate the current situation and ensure that the issue is properly addressed.
Prevailing assessment methodologies are inadequate for an expanded entry. The O-level
examination is a norm-referenced examination testing mainly knowledge and a limited range of
competencies. It is directed at a limited range of abilities and is a pass/fail examination. This is not an
appropriate assessment mechanism for a curriculum that addresses a wider range of abilities. Neither
is it suitable for a curriculum which demands that a wide range of competencies be assessed. A
revised system is needed that rewards achievement (however limited); is criterion-referenced, assuring
that standards are maintained year by year; tests the application of knowledge; tests an appropriate
range of skills and uses a diversified range of assessment techniques. The examination syllabus
should be derived from the curriculum documents rather than the other way round.
There is an acute shortage of good learning materials. It has long been recognized that the
provision of good textbooks in adequate quantities can have a major impact on the quality of the
system. The recent study on textbook revision made a number of proposals for ensuring a better
supply of textbooks but did not address the issue of quality. Current textbooks, particularly in the
sciences, date from as far back as the 1940s. They promote rote learning without understanding and
have a very high language demand. Further, the examinations reward this kind of learning and so high
grades can be gained with little understanding of the content and even less understanding of how to
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 17 of 71
apply it. New, locally produced textbooks are similarly constructed and they are similarly exceedingly
dull and unreadable. Breaking this mutually conspiratorial cycle will not be a simple matter. It will
require very clear textbook evaluation guidelines and a program of local author, illustrator and
designer training; a key element of any reform that is often neglected and leads to the dependence of
publishers on foreign authors
Capacity to develop sound teaching schemes by individual schools is limited. The development of
study programs are usually left to individual schools and it is reported that there is a wide variation in
the ability of teachers to develop sound teaching schemes from the examination syllabuses. Only in a
few subjects have examples produced by the ministry.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 18 of 71
This is the first of three sections that examine possible mechanisms for addressing the challenges
posed in section 3.
1 Establishing a steering committee to oversee the reform process
Effective implementation of USE under existing conditions will not be possible within the existing
resource envelope if current education funding levels and the proportion going to support secondary
education are maintained. Neither will USE be effective within the current curriculum structure. The
changes needed to enable effective implementation will require a number of key political decisions to
meet the challenges already outlined. These will include decisions on secondary education structure,
on roles and responsibilities to manage the change and on resource allocations.
It is desirable that steering committee should be established to drive the SE curriculum change
process. It must be at a sufficiently high level to be able to make executive decisions.
The first task of the steering committee will be to ensure that the foundations are laid upon which the
curriculum change can be constructed. This will include:
ensuring that a fully costed roadmap of the process is in place,
making a number of key policy level decisions with a broad national consensus
oversight of the necessary structural changes in the secondary education system;
decisions concerning the overall structure of the new SE curriculum;
oversight of the media campaign to ensure there is broad consensus on the reform;
oversight of the SE curriculum development process
making decisions on resources allocations to the reform process and their use
2 Tasks of the steering committee
1 To make decisions on structural changes in the SE system
A secondary education structure will be required that is appropriate for the effective expansion of the
system. The two major failings of the current system have been widely reported are that it addresses
the need only of a narrow academic elite cadre and that its unit costs are unsustainably high (around 7
x those for primary education). These must both be addressed by the reform and an effective
mechanism for doing this would be to revisit the structure of secondary education.
Compulsory basic education of 9 years
In line with the practice in many developed and middle income countries (where Uganda aspires to be
in the next 10 years) compulsory basic education could end at what is now S2. This would provide 9
years of basic education with a cost effective curriculum in which almost all subjects are compulsory.
The two tables below indicates international trends towards this goal. The first (table 4.1) shows the
proportion of countries in different regions that operate a basic education cycle which is distinct from
the upper secondary cycle. The second table shows at which year this transition is made. The tables
show that by 2000 most countries had adopted a system of 8-10 years basic education followed by 2-3
years upper secondary education.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 19 of 71
If Uganda were to adopt a basic-upper secondary transition after 9 years, the new junior secondary
level (old S1 and S2) will then represent a continuation of the primary curriculum but taught in
subjects rather than themes. Ending basic education after 9 years would place Uganda in the shaded
row of table 4.2. Not many countries follow have opted for this because not many countries follow the
English A-level model of 13 years of schooling. The most common model involves only 3 years after
S2 leading to a broad based senior secondary certification after year 12. South Africa and Botswana,
two of the few countries in SSA which have recently undergone USE reform, have both adopted this
model.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 20 of 71
The junior secondary level within the 9 years of basic education could be of two or three years
duration; in the latter case, transfer from primary will take place after P6. The formalization of the
existing optional pre-primary (K) year (reportedly already taken by some 50% of children) would be a
very cost effective way of raising the quality of primary education. The primary leaving certificate
examination could then be phased out (or turned into a quality monitoring test) and replaced by a new
junior secondary certificate examination at the end of S2.
It is recognized, however, that one function of the PSLE will still be needed; to select for elite
secondary programs. Other countries either maintain a less formal primary leaving examination for
this purpose or institute a predictive test (as opposed to an attainment test) for selection into such fast
tracks.
Education after the compulsory basic education cycle of 9 years.
After leaving compulsory basic education (at the old S2 level), students would have opportunities
either to enter the job market directly, or proceed to senior secondary studies (now post-S2) or to enter
vocational training institutions. For cost reasons there will be few vocational opportunities in
secondary schools and the O-level examination of vocational subjects will naturally be phased out as
vocational assessment is taken on by the VQF. Equally, for cost reasons, it does not make sense for
students to wait until after S4 to enter vocational training as these extra two years of formal study add
little value to the education of students entering a vocational track.
It would be possible for some S2 graduates to proceed to institutions such as primary- / basic teacher
education colleges for a two or three year program leading to a teaching qualification.
Further reforms of the (post S2) senior secondary system are also desirable to bring down unit costs, to
open the system to learners with a wider range of interests and abilities, and to better match the S4
graduate profile to market needs. A cost effective reform would be to replace the current costly O-
and A-level with a single stratified qualification with ordinary and higher levels. This system can be
found in countries like Scotland, South Africa and Namibia.
Comprehensive versus selective secondary education
A rather different approach to secondary expansion can
be found in countries like the Netherlands, France and
Germany in Europe and many of the Asian ‘tigers’.
This involves a selection process, usually at the end of
around 6 years of primary education (sometimes before).
Learners are placed in different tracks, typically three,
an academic track, a vocational track and a track for
those who will subsequently enter the bottom end of the
labor market. The box shows an interesting selective
system for Singapore which has 10 years of compulsory
schooling. There are two routes to O-level, one four and
one five years after 6 years of primary education. In
addition there is a four year technical track.
An important lesson from the Singapore model is the
need for a new broad assessment system appropriate for
all abilities. This model has a separate ‘N-level’
examination suitable for lower ability tracks as well as
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 21 of 71
the more academic O-level. In comprehensive systems this is normally addressed through a single
system that can cater for a wider ability range.
Selective systems cause much debate. It is always very evident that although selection is determined
by transparent testing, in its operation the process inevitably favors children of higher socio-economic
status. In many countries this is also linked to race and this is one reason why such a system was not
considered by, for example, South Africa and Namibia when they emerged from apartheid regimes.
A often-quoted argument in favor of a three-track system is that it provides a clear track for an
academic elite. Experience in countries that have abandoned it or have never adopted it (Scandinavia,
the US, England) suggests that a non-selective system can equally adequately support such an elite
with the additional advantage that late-developers have a greater opportunity to achieve as they are not
locked into a slower track.
A more detailed discussion of possible options can be found in Annex B which also shows some more
international comparisons.
2 To make decisions related to the curriculum structure
Developing a curriculum that is appropriate for the expanded secondary system will require a number
of key decisions before the technical level can begin work on the details. Firstly, the profile (or
profiles) of the graduates of the system must be clearly defined. Secondly, based on the graduate
profiles, the aims and objectives of the SE curriculum should be revisited and made appropriate for
Uganda’s 21st Century needs. The nature of the key skills and competences to be developed by the
curriculum can then be defined and knowledge areas identified. Thirdly, these will, in turn, determine
issues such as the subject area mix, what subjects should be compulsory and what optional, and the
proportion of the curriculum time devoted to each subject area at each level. Fourthly, decisions will
be required on how the curriculum statements will cater for the needs of all abilities. Options for the
curriculum structure are discussed in more detail in section 6 and Annex C.
3 Oversight of the consultation process
The steering committee may have, sitting on it, some key members from civil society who will
therefore be fully involved in the direction of the process. Wider consultations will, however, be
necessary. These consultations should centre around establishing a clear definition of the graduate
profiles–what the ‘users’ want out of the system–rather than involving civil society representatives in
detail of the reform which are best left to the professionals. The establishment of a consultative
committee widely representative of civil society is useful mechanism for formalizing this process.
4 Oversight of the media campaign
A media campaign directed from the highest level will be needed to ensure that the curriculum reforms
are welcomed. In addition, the steering committee must put in place mechanisms to ensure that
society is widely consulted as part of the SE curriculum development process.
5 Oversight of the SE curriculum development process
A strategy document should be commissioned by the steering committee which defines the roadmap
for development and implementation of the new SE curriculum and provides guidelines for the
technical levels and also for other professional groups involved in the implementation such as teacher
education institutions, the Learning and Teaching Quality Standards Agency and schools.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 22 of 71
This is a major and long term reform which will initially be little understood by the public and the
strategy document is a crucial element both to guide the process and inform the public. South Africa,
for example, chose to produce a White Paper to guide its reform.
This strategy paper should include, as well as the roadmap, the rationale and goals for the reform, the
mechanisms set up to execute it, the membership and ToRs of the working group and its sub-
committees established to execute the process. It should clearly define the roles of all institutions
involved in the development and implementation of the reform.
The management structure for developing the new SE curriculum structure might look like figure 4.2.
It is suggested that the chair of the working group should represent the secondary education directorate
and that NCDC should function as its secretariat. Secretarial resources and office space will be
needed in the medium term to support the process. The SE curriculum consultative committee is
proposed to advise on key stages in the process. It should be widely representative of commerce,
industry and civil society.
Because of the nature of some of the decisions that the steering committee will be called upon to make
and enforce, it is important its membership should include those that can take executive action. The
chair should probably be the minister; a task that can be delegated according to the agenda on a
meeting by meeting basis.
Figure 4.2 - A management structure to drive the SE curriculum reform
The technical working group will be responsible for executing the tasks needed to reform the
curriculum and the key elements in this process will be the technical working group sub committees.
There will be many of these established to work on the fine details of the reform. Many will find that
they need to commission research or consultancy assistance to execute their role effectively.
There will be sub-committees looking into the rewriting of the detailed curriculum statements in each
of the subject areas. These would look at examples of curricula elsewhere and at international
benchmarks. They will also have to consult widely in civil society and, in particular, among those
institutions that might have a legitimate concern about the details of any subject taught (such as
tertiary education institutions). They should also have a sound understanding of the major difficulties
that Ugandan learners have experienced in the subject in the past, together with an understanding of
how similar problems may have been surmounted elsewhere.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 23 of 71
An important sub-committee, for example, would be on teacher education. This will have to examine
in some detail the existing teacher education programs, their efficiency and their capacity for reform to
address the needs of the reformed curriculum. Such a committee would also logically look at what is
required to create an adequate professional support mechanism to help the teachers during the period
of change.
Figure 4.3 below shows a flow chart that illustrates the process of the curriculum revision and the
decisions (shown on the right of the chart) that will be required of the steering committee leading to
the delivery of the necessary inputs.
At an early stage an institutional needs analysis must be commissioned, probably executed by TA
familiar with the process. This will assess the institutional and personal capacity of all involved and
make costed proposals to rectify deficiencies.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 24 of 71
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 25 of 71
5 To Make decisions on resources allocations and use
Decisions will be required on resource management and the cost-efficiency of their use This will
include ensuring adequate resource provision for the curriculum Roadmap (training and TA will be the
main cost drivers), implementation transition period, provision of teaching and learning materials.
Resources will also be allocated to meet the cost of implementing the roadmap.
3 Summary tables showing the political level priorities.
The following table classifies the political level priorities into short and medium term activities. They
also show the anticipated output or outcome of each activity.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 26 of 71
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 27 of 71
For an effective curriculum reform process a number of facilitating components need to be put in
place. These focus on the coordination of the process as well as on developing capacity, both at
institutional level and for individual staff. The following are suggested:
�?� Establishing a Working Group to supervise and coordinate the process;
�?� Review and address the institutional capacity needs;
�?� Review and address the staff development needs;
�?� Establish modalities for in-service education to address the needs of teachers arising from
the change to the revised curriculum.
�?� Strengthening school management to deliver the new curriculum
�?� Strengthening EMIS as part of the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation
process.
The input of Technical Assistance is recommended for many of these activities. Careful consideration
needs to be given to align TA inputs with available local expertise. More details of where TA will
probably be needed are provided in Table 7.1.
1 Tasks and activities
1 Establishing a Working Group -
The process of curriculum reform is of national importance and will need the coordination, guidance
and supervision of a broad-based Working Group established by MoES. It will have a wide ranging
and relatively large membership, including personnel from MoES, parastatal organizations such as
NCDC, UNEB and ESA, as well as representations from NTCs and Universities, labor market
organizations, religious bodies, (head) teachers, and teachers.
The tasks of the Working Group could include:
�?� to provide leadership and guidance to the curriculum development process
�?� to appoint, coordinate, and take part in Working Group sub-Committees to development
the curriculum framework, and learning areas.
2 Study Tours
A Study Tour for all Working Group members could be planned. This would allow the leadership and
technical working group specialists to update themselves of what happens elsewhere in the reform of
SE curriculum and consult on similar reforms in other countries. Such a study tour could for example
visit South Africa. Another study tour could visit selected countries in Asia (for example South
Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, or Thailand). Another could be planned to selected European countries
that could provide relevant best practices for Uganda (for example Scotland, England, the Netherlands
and France). It should be kept in mind that an effective study tour would last a maximum of 2 weeks
(many senior managers and specialists can not be away for longer periods) and should make in-depth
visits to a maximum of 2 countries. Otherwise it will be difficult or near impossible to capitalize on
the best practices of specific countries.
3 Institutional review and development
NCDC, UNEB and ESA are core institutions and form the axis of the curriculum reform process:
curriculum development, assessing learning outcomes and monitoring and evaluation of progress of
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 28 of 71
implementation. The capacity of these institutions to play their pivotal roles in the reform the
curriculum needs to be reviewed and addressed. Input of Technical Assistance for the review is
desirable. The input of selected individual consultants in a longer-term program of Curasse reform
can probably not be used effectively. It would be more effective if longer-term institutional technical
assistance programs could be established. In this case it would also be possible to mobilize resources
and support from specific donor countries and / or donor agencies. The way technical assistance is
planned, defines, contracted, and implemented requires a careful and methodological approach. It
would be efficient if an international consultant can be mobilized (as is done for example with the
preparation of this Curasse Roadmap reform report) to prepare such a program with the Uganda
MOES and national education institutions.
4 Staff development for the core institutions and individuals
For an effective curriculum development process it is necessary to review the capacity building needs
of individual staff within the core institutions, both of staff of universities and NTCs who are closely
involved with the reform process, e.g. as members of the Working Group and their sub-committees.
Training for staff should be organized for a mix of young and experienced staff and will also target
promising individuals where appropriate, such as members of panels of key subjects. Training should
take the form of tailor-made training courses (of 2-6 weeks duration), both in-country and abroad.
Input of Technical Assistance for 2-weeks periods over a period of a year will greatly benefit progress
of the in-country training activities.
5 Training for textbook development
This will include training for authors of textbook and teaching and learning materials, as well as for
technicians for lay-out and graphic artists. This type of training is typically carried out in-country and
on-the-job and under the guidance of expert over a period of time. Commercial publishers should be
involved with this type of training and it is expected that they will provide a substantial part of the
funds for it.
6 Professional development of staff of Teacher Education programs
In view of the change in the SE curriculum, there is a need to review the Teacher Education
curriculum at the NTCs and universities. Via short training courses teaching staff will be updated on
the changed SE curriculum, its changed content as well as its new methodology. TA input (two 2-
week periods over a period of a year) along with use of available local expertise will greatly facilitate
this activity. Such inputs should be aligned with development activities to reform the TE curriculum.
7. Staff development for in-service education
Staff development is required for the design and execution of in-service training programs for many of
the staff of the TE institutions as well as for experienced and motivated teachers. Such a staff training
program should be organized in and by NTC and Universities.
8 Develop an mechanisms for in-service training
Such a structure does not currently exist but is essential for training of teachers implementing the new
curriculum. This should be done with the teacher education institutions in a central role. In particular,
the NTCs are well placed to take up this role.
9 Re-training of teachers
The staff development activities at NTCs and universities outlined in the previous paragraph should
also cater for developing and execution of programs to retrain teachers currently covering subjects that
have an over-supply of teachers, to subjects in which the demand for teachers is high, such as science
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 29 of 71
subjects and Mathematics. The programs should combine a distance education strategy with
residential periods during school holidays. Such programs are usually of 12-24 months duration,
depending on the needs of individual teachers.
TA inputs should cover the combined issues in 6, 7 and 8 above (two 2-weeks periods over a period of
a year) and should align staff training and development the programs.
10 Strengthening school management
To increase efficiency at the school level it is important to strengthen school management to include
implementation of effective staff support and appraisal schemes. A workshop of stakeholders brought
up the idea of professional body for teachers. Such a body (with all teachers as compulsory members)
could provide professional develop opportunities for teachers, as is happening in OECD countries.
Teacher appraisal should be against well-developed Teacher Standards. ESA is well placed to provide
such standards for school management to follow up. TA inputs (two 2-weeks periods over a period of
a year) should assist ESA with the development of evaluation instruments.
11 Strengthening EMIS
The SE curriculum development process needs detailed information about what is happening in
schools in order to evaluate the progress of implementation and to see if the process is on track. It is
not clear whether the existing system is adequate for providing the necessary information rapidly
during the expansion period
12 Strengthening the capacity of the examination board
The move from an elite to a mass secondary system will involve wholesale changes in examination
techniques and management (see section 6). Considerable staff development will be required either by
visiting TA or by overseas training. It is anticipated that this will be required both at the management
and technical (IT) level as well as at subject level.
2 Summary tables showing the technical level priorities
The following table classifies the technical level priorities into short and medium term activities. They
also show the anticipated output or outcome of each activity.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 30 of 71
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 31 of 71
•
•
•
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 32 of 71
1 The curriculum framework
There are well-established examples internationally of good curriculum documents. All have a
broadly similar structure. They all have an over-arching curriculum framework which provides an
encompassing view of the curriculum. This includes not only the main learning areas, but also
assessment objectives; system data such as teaching hours per year and per subject per year; a
description of key expected core outcomes (graduate profiles); core principles of teaching and
learning, both at the general and subject level; mechanisms for accommodating learners of varying
ability, etc. It must be flexible; capable of being adapted to the needs of a variety of different schools
and learner communities. It is underpinned by the core values of the society it serves. In short, it
includes all the details that teachers will need to teach the curriculum and that examiners will need to
examine it, and that parents and others will need to understand it. The concept of the curriculum
framework is elaborated further in Annex C.
The curriculum framework should be developed through a broad consultative process typically taking
several months. Its construction will require decisions on key issues (on, for example, the secondary
education structure), that can only be taken at a high level. If the framework is fully and effectively
developed, the process of filling in the detailed subject statements can follow in a relatively
straightforward manner.
2 Addressing curriculum overload
The overarching curriculum framework is powerful tool for limiting the size of the curriculum both
overall and for individual learners. All curriculum statements have to be justified in terms of the
overall goals and objectives. The framework puts limits on the curriculum time available to each
subject area and this in turn limits the number of core standards that can be put in. Optional additional
standards can be put in for faster learners. This means that the curriculum load can be tailored to the
capacity of the learner to carry it. The framework is an overall view of the curriculum which ensures
that overlap between subjects does not occur and also that cross-cutting elements such as health and
environmental education are accommodated systematically.
3 The curriculum statements
The curriculum statements determine the detail of what is taught in each subject and how, and give
guidance on assessment at both the school and national level. There are many ways in which these
can be expressed and these vary very considerably from country to country. They can take the form of
expectations of what successful students should know and the competencies that they should have
gained. They might be expressed as outcomes which describe what the student should be able to do
with the knowledge and competencies gained. They might be expressed in terms of what the learners
should be taught, or in terms of what students should be learning when they are taught, or in terms of
the learning experiences that learners should be offered. They might be expressed in the form of
attainment targets that indicate different levels of achievement within each topic by the end of each
year or phase. They may be expressed in the form of ‘key’ (or ‘core’) statements compulsory for all
and ‘non-key’ statements that are optional, usually for faster learners. They might be written in the
form of assessment statements or standards that express how the learning outcome will be assessed.
Most of these are not mutually exclusive and many curricula are expressed in terms of several.
The existing Ugandan curriculum statements take the form of as a list of topics to be examined. This
has a number of significant limitations. Firstly many teachers are not clear what the student is
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 33 of 71
expected to do as a result of the learning, or what
competencies he or she is expected to develop, or the
depth to which each topic should be studied. Over the
past decade many of the teaching concepts have been
modernized under pressure of the new knowledge
economy demands and the rapidly changing
information and communications technologies.
Teacher training has simply not kept pace with new
and innovative developments and changing demand-
patterns. Consequently the teacher turns for guidance
to the examination papers. Teaching then becomes
directed towards achieving a high examination mark
rather than mastering useful competencies. Secondly,
the examiners are not able to depart significantly from
the routine systems built up over the years that the
teachers understand (and that is reflected in the
textbooks) and so the system tends to become
fossilized. Change, as is evidenced by the current exercise, then becomes very difficult.
There are many examples of the different ways curricula are constructed and the different kinds of
subject statements on the Worldwide Web.
It is evident that curriculum construction is a complex issue. Each country constructs the kind of
curriculum that best suits its own needs. Working out the details is a process that takes much
discussion and a considerable time. Similar details will have to be resolved when the assessment
system is developed. What is important is that all these details (including precise meanings of the key
words used in the curriculum documents) should be worked out at the beginning of the process so that
the development can proceed in a consistent manner across all subject areas. This is not a small task.
4 Programs of study
The list of subject statements can be used as a basis for developing a program through which the
subject is studied during the year or educational phase. Examples of such programs are commonly
developed by ministries of education, not to be followed slavishly, but as a guide to teachers to
illustrate the expected depth of learning and to provide examples of a variety of teaching and learning
activities.
Different programs can be developed from the same statements. Thus a list of science statements for,
say, S1, could be elaborated into a single science program or into three separate programs, physics,
chemistry or biology. In this way, a single list of statements can be used to support a variety of
different programs.
5 Examination syllabuses
Subject statements are used, together with the overall subject assessment objectives2 as the basis of the
examination syllabuses or assessment schemes. The statements can be used as a basis of a variety of
different kinds of examination. For example, in science, the same statements might be used to develop
three examinations (in physics, chemistry and biology) or to develop a single science exam. It is
usual, however, to indicate a subset of core statements that will apply to all awards and additional ones
2
For example, three simple assessment objectives in a science subject may be to assess (a) understanding, (b) the ability to apply the
understanding to new situation, and (c) mastery of science skills.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 34 of 71
that will apply to the separate science awards. This permits the development of a variety of different
examined programs based on the same set of curriculum statements. This is particularly useful for
setting examinations that serve a wide range of ability where basic papers can be set on a core set of
statements and higher level papers can be set using more difficult questions based on an extended set.
6 Scope and sequence tables
Scope and sequence show, at a glance, how the concepts in a subject area are developed over the years
or grades. Developing scope and sequence tables for the key subject areas from P1 will make possible
a seamless dovetailing of the primary and secondary phases. The tables can show clearly the spiral
nature of the curriculum and also show how evenly it is growing in both breadth and depth over the
years. Interesting research related to TIMSS studies in the USA suggests that great care should be
taken not to introduce a wide variety of concepts too soon; scope and sequence tables can serve to
keep track of this.
7 Compulsory and optional subjects
In general, the greater the proportion of subjects that are compulsory and taught to all, the lower the
cost of the curriculum and the simpler the system is to administer. In most countries the curriculum
followed at the junior secondary level has very limited choice, (often just limited to home language).
The number of subjects is often limited to just one per subject area (mathematics, main language,
humanities, science, arts, a prevocational subject(s) and a subject that is best described as personal and
social education and includes elements of civics, life skills, religious and moral education, etc). This
curriculum simplifies both teaching and examining and typically leads to a junior secondary leaving
examination after the ninth or tenth year of study. The box shows the junior secondary subject
offerings in Botswana.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 35 of 71
Note that at the junior secondary level in Botswana, science is regarded as a single subject both for the
purposes of the curriculum documents and also for teaching (and for the textbooks). It is increasingly
normal worldwide for science to be described as a single subject area in curriculum documents,
particularly at lower secondary level. This has arisen for many reasons, firstly because the traditional
divisions are increasingly blurred in the real world of science, secondly because of the essential
philosophical and epistemological unity of the subject and thirdly because of the many increasingly
important subject areas–such as earth sciences–that do not fall easily within any of the traditional
realms of physics, chemistry and biology (many countries now identify four realms in their science
curricula, the fourth being ‘earth and beyond’) This fact that science is described in a single set of
statements in the curriculum documents does not automatically imply, however, that it should
necessarily be taught as single subject in a school. How science is taught on the school timetable is a
matter that can be left to schools although it is usually considerably less costly in terms of teacher
deployment and textbooks for the sciences to be integrated, particularly in small junior secondary
schools. This is a significant issue for Uganda to consider.
Only after this basic education sequence is it usual for students be offered significant choices. In most
countries the main language, mathematics and science are compulsory. This leaves room for some
choice but the overall load seldom exceeds 10 subjects and is normally many fewer. A particular
problem with the current Ugandan curriculum seems to be a reluctance to accept that a student does
not have to take a multiplicity of subjects to enjoy a rounded and effective education in S3 and S4.
One way of rapidly addressing the current overloaded curriculum in S3 and S4 would be to reduce
greatly the number of compulsory subjects. A useful model could be that prevalent in South Africa
and Namibia whereby the student can choose between a small number of subject combinations leading
down different academic pathways (much the same way A-level is organized in Uganda). Within this
model, English and home language would be taken by all, three subjects would be compulsory to the
group and a sixth is a free choice (as long as several are offered, which in small schools is often not
the case). This mechanism effectively limits major cost drivers like small classes and under-utilized
teachers.
8 Building cost-efficiency into the curriculum subjects
The Ugandan secondary curriculum is very expensive. In part this is due to the inclusion of a number
of expensive vocational subjects. In part it is due simply to the cost of teaching and examining the
large number (10+) of subjects taught (in England the norm is 8 subjects at the equivalent of O-level
rising to 10 or so for very gifted learners; in Namibia at this level the norm is 6) and also to the large
choice offered. And in part, it is due to the fact that subjects such as science, taught as intended in the
Ugandan curriculum, are high-cost subjects. Modern science teaching and curricula worldwide are
considerably less equipment-dependent (for pedagogical reasons rather than reasons of economy) and
savings could be achieved without compromising quality
9 Vocational subjects in the SE curriculum
Vocational subjects are major cost drivers in the existing secondary system. They are expensive to
teach and typically are taught to smaller groups than the academic subjects. They produce however, it
is reported by the schools, graduates who are more employable than those emerging from the
academic track. Any expansion of these vocational classes under USE will be unsustainably costly.
This is a strong argument for concentrating vocational training in post-school institutions where is can
be done more cost-effectively. It is also a strong argument for ending USE after S2 rather than S4 to
allow earlier movement to vocational training.
Many countries expanding their secondary intake are seeking to include prevocational programs at S1
and S2 level. Students then move to vocational institutions after the leaving examination at the end of
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 36 of 71
S2. These programs aim, in principle, to equip students with the kind of generic skills that will be
useful across a broad range of vocational activities. Examples of generic skills that can be of benefit
in future vocational programs are communication skills, including drawing; keyboard skills; word
processing; accounting; problem solving; etc, The concept of prevocational education is, however, not
yet well developed on the African continent and tends to take the form simply of some of the
traditional options that happen to be relatively cheap to teach and for which a teacher is available. An
emerging prevocational subject that is not high cost is Entrepreneurship but it appears, in most
instances (including, it would seem, Uganda), to be a repackaged business studies program largely
lacking the essential practical components that it requires to be effective.
The prevocational element of the expanded junior secondary curriculum is an area that demands some
novel curriculum development work. It lends itself to a modular treatment where modules can be built
around specific local and national needs. The stumbling block, over which most attempts to develop
prevocational programs on the continent have fallen, is that of cost.
10 Assessing a broad ability range
The existing examination system addresses a narrow ability range and is characterized by high failure
rates, particularly in the sciences and mathematics. The questions papers appear, on examination, to
be norm-referenced rather than criterion-referenced. The questions, in the (science and mathematics)
papers are somewhat ritualistic in nature, following a set pattern in the way they covered a topic. The
textbooks used (science textbooks used date form as far back as the 1940s) are also attuned to the
ritual which means that it is possible to obtain high marks by mastering the ritual rather than
understanding the subject. All this means that it is not clear what the concept of pass and fail means in
terms of real mastery of the subject. The examinations serve not to reward achievement but to operate
as a crude filtering device to remove all but those who can master the art of passing examinations from
the ladder to the next level of education. This is generally regarded as a very crude method of
selection resulting not uncommonly in high failure and dropout rates at the higher level.
A broader ability range can be assessed in two ways, either through an examination system that is
capable of discriminating over the range, or by several sets of examinations each addressed to a
different part of the range. Examples of the latter can be found in many eastern countries such as
Singapore (see above) and in the Netherlands and France. The former system is operated in the USA,
England, Scotland and, more recently has been adopted in Namibia, Botswana and South Africa.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 37 of 71
A related issue that is emerging in many countries is how to better attune the assessment system to the
needs of the individual student, particularly, as is increasingly the case, where these differing needs
cannot be addressed through a range of different curriculum options. Science and mathematics
provide examples of this. Both subjects are increasingly becoming compulsory to S4 level but the
needs of students at this level in these subjects vary greatly. Some students need the sciences as a
foundation for further academic scientific studies while at the other end of the spectrum, there will be
students who need science as part of a rounded general education. The latter require a science
program that has a broad Science, Technology and Society (STS) focus that is far removed from the
needs of the former. There is a need therefore in subjects such as these to cater for a variation in kind
as well as variation in ability. The box shows how this issue is addressed at S4 level in Botswana
where science is compulsory. It is possible to base all these three awards on the same set of science
standards; each award using a set of standards that is a largely a subset of those used by the award to
its right in the table.
Assessment systems that address all abilities aim to award achievement, however limited. They
typically have a broader selection of assessment objectives with a strong emphasis on the application
of knowledge as well as on understanding, an objective largely absent from the Ugandan papers
studied. They will employ mechanisms for assessing a variety of skills not currently assessed, either
through novel paper and pencil exercises or through a repertoire of continuous assessment instruments.
The notion of pass and fail disappears in an assessment scheme addressing a broad ability range.
Almost all students taking an examination are awarded grades (perhaps a small number are
‘ungraded’; usually around 5% or less). Examination papers are criterion-referenced and designed to
achieve a wide spread of marks (high standard deviation) giving widely spaced, and (largely) pre-
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 38 of 71
determined, grade boundaries. The full range of the raw marks is used to award grades. The
International General Certificate of Secondary Education3 (IGCSE) awards 8 grades in a subject, A to
G. Students getting C and above are usually deemed capable of studying the subject to a higher level.
The C/D or D/E borderline may be considered roughly equivalent to the pass/fail borderline in the
Uganda O-level. Those that currently fail a subject in Uganda, would, in such a system, be normally
awarded grades from E to G. While students getting these low grades would not normally proceed to
a higher level of academic education, such grades (which may have their origin in poor teaching as
much as in low ability) have currency for entry into vocational and trades programs and the job
market.
11 Summary tables showing the curriculum level priorities
The following table classifies the curriculum development level priorities into short and medium term
activities. They also show the anticipated output or outcome of each activity.
3
IGCSE, an international S4-level award offered by the British company Cambridge International Education and which is very similar to
the English GCSE
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 39 of 71
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 40 of 71
1 Immediate, short-term and longer term actions
The measures to address the challenges outlined in the previous sections of the report have been
presented at three levels: 1) at the political level (suggesting policy priorities), 2) at the level of
institutions involved in the curriculum reform process (reviewing and addressing institutional and staff
development needs), and 3) at the level where the actual processes of the curriculum development take
place.
The suggestions made in the report for each of these three levels have also been categorized in three
time blocks: 1) immediate short-term, 1-12 months, 2) short-term (1-2 years), and 3) medium term (3-
5 years).
The issues in the first time block, immediate short term (1-12 months) relate to the initial steps to be
taken to get the process of SE curriculum reform on the way, such as setting up a Steering Committee
to provide political guidance to the process, setting a Working Group to oversea the technical aspects,
and start work on the curriculum framework. In the immediate short-term, reviews of institutional and
capacity needs will be carried out. Similarly, a labor market survey will be carried out, the result of
which will be an important basis for the curriculum development process.
The short-term (1-2 years) time block will focus primarily on building capacity in the system for
effective curriculum reform. It will also start with the technical aspects of curriculum development
once the curriculum framework has been finalized.
During the medium term (3-5 years) the process will start to have a more implementation oriented
focus. Decisions on textbook and resource allocation policies need to taken. Revision of TE education
programs and development of in-service education structures and programs, as well as training of staff
active in these programs will all take place in this time block. Teaching programs and teaching and
learning materials and examination syllabuses will be developed, as well as test items and assessment
tools.
2 Timeline summary table
The time line in table 7.1 below provides in more details the different activities proposed for the three
time blocks.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 41 of 71
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 43 of 71
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 44 of 71
The roadmap for the curriculum reform is far from complete in detail. Further work is required,
particularly on issues related to cost. Table 7.1 indicates immediate, short-term and medium term
actions, many of which will require technical assistance. The main steps outlined in the table are
elaborated below.
The actions proposed under section 1 below must be carried out before the main elements of the
process can move forward significantly. They lay the foundations for the process. Actions in section
2 can move forward in parallel and do not necessarily have to wait for the finalization of section 1
before they are initiated.
3 Immediate actions proposed
Discussion and review of this report to enable the provision of feedback for finalization of the
Curasse roadmap. A number of key decisions have to be made before much of the detailed planning
of the roadmap can commence, one of which is the agreement in principle to embark on the kind of
major reform process described.
Establishing a management structure to carry forward the Curasse review. A political level
steering committee is proposed to which the technical level working group is answerable. A
consultative committee is suggested as a mechanism for ensuring wide stakeholder consultation.
Technical sub-committees of the working group will be needed to carry out the detailed work
Initiate debate on key issues at a political level. The key decision is what SE structure should
replace the current one. A natural corollary to this debate will be a media campaign to ensure the
public is properly informed.
Initiate the development of the curriculum framework. This will require a number of political
level decisions but also the production of a strategy paper that develops criteria and various options for
addressing these in the framework. Technical assistance will be desirable for this. Examples from
other countries, particularly those who have recently gone through the same reform will be required.
Study tour by key members of the working group and steering committee. A visit to other
countries to study curriculum issues first hand should be arranged. Scotland and South Africa provide
examples that, for different reasons, deserve attention; the former has a clear, well thought-through
framework and the latter is an African country that has recently been through the process.
Establish a serviced office and appoint a ‘champion’ to drive the change. The office must have a
good, preferably full-time, internet connection and related hardware. A web-site will be needed. A
champion coordinator is needed to drive the process, see Annex E for a job description of such a
champion.
3 Short term actions
Conduct capacity and institutional assessments of all the organizations involved in the Curasse
change process. Identify and propose remedies for capacity gaps. TA will probably be required for
this.
Conduct a labor market survey. It would make sense to link this with the one to be conducted by
TVET as it will cover much common ground. Use this to develop graduate profiles for each SE exit
level.
Begin developing an implementation and monitoring program. Both these should begin well in
advance of when they are needed as the program may require elements (such as teacher standards,
baseline research, a CPD support structure, strengthened EMIS and head teacher training) that may
take much time-consuming planning and development.
Identify policy gaps and conduct the necessary research to address them. These gaps will become
clearer as the roadmap is further developed. Critical policy areas are those on textbook supply, on
inclusion policy for addressing particular learner needs, and on pro-poor policies to ensure equity in all
aspects of SE. Technical assistance will probably be needed.
Review the school principal, teacher and administrative staff education programs. The revised
curriculum will require a much more dynamic an flexible training and (initial) education program that
is less ‘front-end loaded’ and has a greater emphasis on continuous support while teachers are in
schools. The institutional capacity to make this structural change should be assessed and a reform
plan proposed. TA will be required.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 46 of 71
Expanding a secondary system form one serving a small academic elite to a universal system is a
significant undertaking that will necessitate a major overhaul of the curriculum. Experience elsewhere
suggests that the time between the initiation of the curriculum change process to the first new
secondary leaving examination being offered can be between five and ten years. Uganda does not
have this time; the first USE intake wave has already entered the system. This does not imply that the
process should not begin but it means that interim measures will probably be necessary to ensure that
the USE intake emerges with some kind of marketable qualification and skills. Interim measures will
also been needed to keep the costs of USE under control and to help maintain quality as classes get
ever larger.
There are a variety of interim measures that are possible. A key characteristic of any that are chosen
must be that they will, in any case, be necessary measures as part of the longer term expansion; they
should not be introduced only later to be undone. The following list show examples of measures that
could be implemented. A key element upon which the success of all the proposals will depend is a
major thrust in school management training both to improve efficiency and also facilitate the spread of
existing good practice.
1 Establish, as soon as possible, a junior certificate examination (JSE) at the end of S2.
This could be initially based on existing good school practice and be confined to a narrow range of
core subjects (it could be limited to English, mathematics, a single science paper including all three
subjects and a single humanities paper including history, geography and RE). The syllabuses for these
subjects can initially be a subset of the existing O-level syllabuses, incorporating those elements that
effective teachers currently teach in the early years. The teaching curriculum for these years should
not be limited to these few examined subjects.
2 Limit selection into S3 to a manageable level (based on JSE scores), but increase the range
of vocational programs available in specialist vocational training institutions. Cost considerations
prohibit any expansion of vocational subjects offered in schools. Cost considerations also dictate that
the examination of vocational subjects by NEAB should be phased out as soon as this can be taken
over by the VQF.
3 Review the financing arrangements for entrants into S3. Providing free access to post-
basic (ie, post-S2) education is currently unsustainable and expansion of free services can only be paid
for from GDP growth. Pro-poor mechanisms will be required targeting poor students (particularly
girls) or schools in poor areas so that the cost of post-basic education and training is matched by
ability to pay.
4 Greatly reduce the number of compulsory subjects to be offered at O-level (to perhaps
English, mathematics and a science) and limit the choice of options using a subject grouping
mechanism similar to that used at A-level. Aim at an overall subject load per student of, perhaps, 8
and certainly not more than 10.
5 Adopt a repertoire of efficiency measures such as developing norms and standards for
pupil-classroom ratio and PTR, measures to increase teacher time-on-task, etc. It is very evident that
there is much scope for improving the overall efficiency of the system. The desirability of sharpening
up the teacher appraisal process emerged strongly at the consultative workshop; addressing this in a
comprehensive way is not a short term solution but experience shows that even initiating the process
through a widely publicized policy directive will quickly have a beneficial impact. The process would
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 47 of 71
entail the development by the Standards Agency of a set of teacher standards as a pre-requisite for a
more objective appraisal system that could ultimately be linked to promotion, salary bars, conditions
of service, professional development, teacher education programs, etc.
6 Develop mechanisms for diagnosing and addressing learning difficulties. The system
expansion, particularly if it is allowed to proceed uncontrolled, will generate an increasingly large
number of learners with learning difficulties. This is a more intractable problem at secondary level
than it is at the primary level and in the longer term, policy measures will be required to address this.
Immediate measures could evolve by formalizing existing good practice such as counseling groups
and pastoral care systems. A start can be made on this process; head teachers can be given guidance,
though a training program, on how to address these issues and establish such systems.
7 Develop mechanisms to cope with problems due to large teaching groups. The reduction
in subject numbers offered will free up periods for activities such as homework, periods that can also
be used for small group tutorials, assisting learners with difficulties etc, all of which are elements of
existing good practice. The aim of this would be to mitigate somewhat the negative impact of the
inevitable over-large classes in normal lessons. Building key skills (and applying them) and mastering
core curriculum areas should be a major focus of the smaller tutorial groups. Some of this seems
already in place in schools as observed in Kampala schools
7 Introduce double shifting in urban schools where the need for places is most pressing.
8 Plan the programs to produce teachers more effectively to meet current demand and
anticipated changes. A key element of this is to produce more mathematics and science teachers and
limit the intake into teacher education subject areas where there is currently a surplus. Also, produce
teachers able to teach two or more subjects, especially relevant in addressing efficiency problems in
smaller rural schools.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 48 of 71
Curriculum Development and Research
The issue of research has come up in the discussions on curriculum development. It basically did
because school leaders and MoES department staff felt that it is important to have a clear idea of how
the curriculum operates in the class, what its problems are and how students achieve in the
examinations at the end of the programs. The published exam results will provide an answer to the
latter issue, but how the curriculum operates in the school and class remains largely a black box.
The expressed wish by stakeholders to have research-based evidence that the current curriculum is no
longer adequate - and that the new curriculum is practical, relevant and effective – is a valid one.
Therefore, research should play an important role of research in the process of curriculum reform.
It is useful to distinguish between different levels when we talk about curriculum. Table A1 below
outline the intended curriculum, implemented curriculum and attained curriculum.
Research has often been focused on the attained level, to establish how well students achieved the
learning objectives at the end of the programs, through tests, national examinations and so on, in a
summative way. The results then indicate that the exam results are good, not so good, much lower than
expected, and the results can then be linked to how well the learning objectives have been achieved.
However, it does not provide any information on how the curriculum implementation process is taking
place in the schools and in the classrooms.
Recent research initiatives have therefore also and especially focused on the implemented curriculum.
It has tried to answer questions about the quality of the curriculum, in particular questions to do with
how practical the curriculum is in view of conditions in schools and classrooms, how relevant the
curriculum is, and how sustainable, and how teachers are coping with the new curriculum.
The result is a strategy that integrates curriculum development activities with research in support of its
development. This type is often called development research or design research. Action research can
be considered as a minimal form of development research.
Development Research is typically carried out in small-scale settings and is usually qualitative in
nature. It describes the process of implementation and provides feedback on how the curriculum
implementation is proceeding and what can be improved. Development research is carried out to:
improve not to prove. The ESA and also the universities should be equipped to take on this kind of
research.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 49 of 71
Educational structure options
Opening free secondary education to S4 to all who complete primary schooling cannot be sustained
within the existing education resource envelope. Neither is it advisable educationally without
considerable modification of the existing structure as the large numbers entering the system will have
a considerable impact on quality. The objective of secondary reform should be to open up the system
as far as possible to all but to alter the existing educational structure in such a way as to maximize the
chances of maintaining, and indeed, improving quality.
To make the expansion affordable and to preserve, and enhance, quality, the universal access
expansion should be limited to S2 where a junior secondary education leaving examination should be
instituted to replace the formal primary leaving examination as the school leaving examination for the
majority. This would bring Uganda in line with most other countries that are developing or in
transition. A comparison of the Ugandan system with a selection of other countries is shown in Table
B1 below.
The establishment of a new structure ending compulsory education at S2 offers an opportunity to
consider a variety of different pathways to reach this level and a number of such pathways are
considered in Table B2 below. The advantages and disadvantages of each are considered in Table B3.
One consideration would be to lengthen junior secondary education from 2 to 3 years by taking a year
off the primary cycle. Adding a year K onto the bottom of the primary cycle is a well-recognized way
of improving the effectiveness of primary education and this is one of the options that could be
considered.
The future of A-level studies
A-levels are an exclusive English (not even British) phenomenon that were exported to Uganda. They
exist now in only a very few countries. In Africa they have long been abandoned in Anglophone west
Africa and also in Kenya. They survive in England despite a sequence of government reports all
recommending their abolition on educational grounds, because of political conservatism and a
misplaced perception in the public mind that they represent a quality ‘gold standard’. They have long
been circumvented in England as the sole means of access to Universities by alternative routes and
qualifications, particularly into the more technical degree programs.
The expansion of the system in Uganda will eventually mean that an increasingly large number of
students will emerge from S4 who could benefit from further education, particularly technical
education, but for whom A-levels are not an appropriate program of study. At some stage the future
of the A-level examination will have to reconsidered. They are very expensive compared with
alternatives and their narrow academic nature will add increasingly little value, in terms of the national
economy, to O-level studies. Abolishing them in Uganda, as in England, will not be politically easy.
Table B1 below shows two countries, Namibia and South Africa, who have, instead of A-level studies,
a higher level of their S4 leaving certificate. This is part of a unified S4-level examination and it
specifically targets potential university entrants. This is coupled with a 4 year rather than a 3 year
degree program. This is a workable model that is worthy of study as a more cost efficient alternative
to A-level.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 50 of 71
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 52 of 71
This table compares each option with its immediate precursor.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 53 of 71
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 54 of 71
The Curriculum Framework and its relationship to other curriculum documents
Curriculum Framework – what is it?
The Curriculum Framework sets out what all students should know, understand, value, be able to do as
a result of the programs they undertake in school. It is an overarching document that spells out the
learning outcomes students should achieve (for instance in the form of graduate profiles). The
outcomes are connected to the stated learning objectives for Education. The outcomes are usually
defined at a general level (‘overarching outcomes’) as well as per separate learning areas defined in
the Curriculum Framework. It should also include the necessary information about the system and
how the curriculum is to be applied. In short, it should provide all the information needed to allow
schools to implement the curriculum effectively.
Curriculum Framework – how is it developed?
The Curriculum Framework is usually developed by a broad-based Working Group of education and
curriculum experts, from Ministries of Education, and from Universities, Teacher Education
institutions. The Working Group normally also stakeholders, teacher unions, Head-teacher
associations as well as individual teachers and head-teachers) as well as societal representations such
as parents, religious groups, labor market, NGOs.
The Curriculum Framework is typically developed in an extensive consultative process based on a
draft document developed by the Working Group. The consultative process usually takes about a year.
Curriculum Framework – what is in it?
Apart from the learning outcomes, it addresses some or all of the following:
• principles on which the Curriculum Framework is built (e.g. the need to be inclusive (for all
students), flexible to accommodate different needs of students, societal, personal and
environmental values);
• teaching and learning methodology (how learning should take place, e.g. through active learning
or learner-centered approaches);
• which learning areas should be included (e.g. Science, Languages, Health, Maths, etc.) and the
linkages between these;
• the resources needed for the learning process, and to achieve the learning outcomes;
• the way learning outcomes will be assessed;
• system details to help schools mount the program such as number of teaching hours per year;
proportion of teaching time to be devoted to each subject or subject area; core and optional
subjects; etc.
Curriculum Framework – what is it for?
The Curriculum Framework is the guiding document for developing learning programs, subject
statements, scope and sequences, teaching schemes, assessment strategies and examination papers. It
is used by the technical level (Curriculum Development Centers, Examination Boards, and the
Inspectorate) as the guide for the work they do, and by schools to implement the curriculum in the
manner intended.
Figure C1 below summarizes the structure of the curriculum framework and shows how it is related to
other important curriculum documents that are derived from it.
Examples of a Curriculum Frameworks can be found at:
• http://www.curriculum.wa.edu.au/pages/framework/framework02.htm
• http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/
• http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/11/20178/45862
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 56 of 71
Teacher supply and demand
A recent report on teachers and teacher education4 shows that there are 42,673 secondary school
teachers. There has been an increase in the number of teachers of on average 2000 each year, since the
year 2000. Teacher attrition in 2006 was 6.1%. The student teacher ratio (STR) is 19, up from 17 in
2000. This is very low by international and African standards; Namibia, for example has a ratio is 30.
Thirty-four percent of secondary teachers are graduates and 41% are diploma holders. Female teachers
make up 22% of the total number of teachers. There are large geographical differences in the STR,
teacher qualifications and gender distribution. Central region has a STR of 11, whereas this goes up to
26 and 37 in some districts in the East and North. The percentage of graduate teachers in Central
region is around 60; and about 11 in the North and East of the country. In some districts in Central
region the proportion of female teachers in about above 30%, in the North this can be as low as 6-8%.
The development of staffing norms and standards incorporating a transition period for all secondary
schools to reach an agreed STR target (say 30) within an agreed timeframe (say 5 years) will be a
major cost saver.
Problem with supply of science and maths teachers - The current government policy emphasizing
science and mathematics in the secondary education curriculum, SE students take mathematics and
three science subjects. This will require additional science and mathematics teachers. It is calculated
that it means that about one third of enrolment at TE institutions needs to be in the science and math
subjects. Yet, this is only 19% (in NTCs) and 20% (at Universities). This will result in an even greater
shortage than is presently the case.
There are insufficient school leavers (A-level) in science and math qualifying for entry into TE
institutions, in spite of relaxing the entry requirements to two principal passes (was four before). This
is caused by the low number of students studying science and math at A-level and the low percentage
passes in these subjects. Most of those will enroll in BSc degree programs rather than BEd programs,
or at the NTCs.
One way of tackling this problem is to institute pre-entry programs. This is already so in some of the
private universities training teachers but the quality of these pre-entry programs is questioned. A focus
on developing and executing quality pre-entry programs for TE institutions may be a fruitful avenue
to tackle the shortage of science and mathematics teachers. Re-training of teachers currently in low-
demand subjects to teach in science subjects and math is necessary until the time that TE institutions
provide enough teachers in these subjects.
Teaching loads - Teachers at secondary schools teach an average of 18-24 periods of 40 minutes.
Contact time is thus about 16 hours per week. That compares rather poor with 26 hours in sub-Saharan
Africa as a whole, or Western Europe (24.5 hours). There are other issues that impact on the hours
teachers work at school. Additional teachers paid for by PTAs are further reducing the teaching loads.
On the other hand, the large classes will make marking test and other student work very labor
intensive. This is not shown in the teaching loads. Teacher absenteeism is about 20%.
Teacher quality is hampered by the poor quality of student teachers entering TE programs, weak
pedagogical training in TE institutions, poor motivation, and lack of professional development5. It
results in poor planning, under-utilization of instructional time, dominant teachers, use inappropriate
methodology, lack of focus on active learning and practical work.
4
Teachers in Uganda: Overview of issues (Draft report, June, 2007)
5
Roadmap for curriculum review primary education (March 2007)
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 57 of 71
The above issues provide impetus for the vicious circle of sub-standard teaching, poor quality of
students from Secondary Schools, and poor intake in TE programs, shortage of qualified teachers, and
poor teaching. Measures need to be put in place to break this vicious circle. Strengthening TE
programs, providing professional development opportunities for teachers (e.g. through Teacher
Professional Councils6) and strengthening school management to include management (e.g. to address
absenteeism of teachers), support and appraisal mechanisms for teachers seem priorities in this respect.
6
As is the case in OECD countries and South Africa. Membership is often compulsory and a pre-requisite for getting a
position
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 58 of 71
Coordinator for Working Group
The Working Group will be made up by representatives of the institutions and organizations that have
a stake in the development of the new SE curriculum. These include the core institutions NCDC,
UNEB and ESA, but also labor market organizations, NGOs, teachers, head teachers and their unions,
and so on. All of them will serve on the Working Group in a part-time capacity. What is needed in
addition to this arrangement, is a full-time coordinator who will oversea all development activities,
training requirements, required inputs, time schedules and so on.
The Coordinator should be:
• an individual with proven experience and expertise in SE education and curriculum
• committed, conscientious, pro-active and, willing to learn
• be a good communicator and pleasant personality
• prepared to work flexible hours to match need
• able to travel out of the capital
Tasks of the Coordinator include:
• be the secretary to the Working Group (WO: in the report we indicate that this should be
somebody from NCDC, perhaps the coordinator could be co-opted to NCDC
• to coordinate, manage and supervise all activities of the Working Group
• to liaise with staff co-opted on to the Working Group
• draw up ToRs for visiting consultants
• to be the counterpart for consultants, both their missions to Uganda and in between missions
• assess and organize required inputs (both human and physical resources)
• evaluate performance of co-opted staff
• prepare reports to the Steering Committee
• coordinate the public relations activities of the Working Group
Secretarial support to the Coordinator will be available.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 59 of 71
Issues raised at the Curasse consultative workshop
The following is a list of issues raised at the consultative workshop held on 24th July 2007
Curriculum
• how are Aims and Objectives of Education addressed in the curriculum?
Curriculum content (subjects)
• curriculum overload
• syllabi overload, difficult to cover within the time
• ‘integration is repackaging’
• content overlap between subjects / duplicate subjects (entrepreneurship = economics)
• overload results in excessive homework (‘my 7 year old works in the evening on his
homework’)
Relevance and the market
• curriculum needs to respond to the market demands
• need for a skills-based curriculum
Methodology
• highly theoretical ignoring the practical components
• learner-centred (or active learning) is the preferred methodology
Resources
• textbooks
• T&L materials to support teachers implementing the curriculum
Professional development
• where is it?
• need for professional development to support implementation
• re-training to include life skills for teachers
Curriculum and Examinations
• mismatch between the two (integrated English)
• exams drive the curriculum
• continuous Assessment? What happened to it?
• teaching to the test
• teachers are assessed by the examination results of their students
• need for assessment of skills-based subjects, e.g. by portfolio (music, physical education, arts)
Research and evaluation
• urgently needed
• but by whom (teachers, schools? universities?)
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 60 of 71
• supporting the need for curriculum reform
• supporting implementation; see whether it is on track
• tracer studies to follow students
One curriculum for everybody?
• curriculum differentiation
Vocational subjects
• attitude from side of the parents and students
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 61 of 71
--------- to be finalized --------------
Persons consulted
*denotes stakeholders who participated at the Secondary Education Curriculum Workshop on 25 July 2007
Agencies
Elsa Meinzer EFAG/GTZ
Fiona Musana* EFAG/GTZ
Gunter Schroter EFAG/GTZ
Jessica J. Ihomu* Irish Embassy
Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT)
Ethel Kyobe Manager UVQF-S
George Kiwungulo Superintendent Trade Testing
Mukasa A. Kizito DIT Temporary Consultant
Mukasa Kiyaya Commissioner DIT
Sarah Nalumansi Management Consultant to DIT
Education Standards Agency (ESA)
Alice Obella Amoit
Tuvyagyenda Kedrace
Ministry of Education and Sports
Carthbert Mulyalya*
John M. Agaba*
Patrick Sempala*
R. Nsumba-Lyazi*
Wilber Ainebyona
Y.K. Nsubuga
Joseph Muvawala
G. A. Dhatemwa
John Mbabazi
National Curriculum Development Centre (Kyambogi)
Angela Kyagaba*
Anne Kayongo*
Betty Twesiime*
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 62 of 71
Frances Amulen*
Francis Kaleeba*
Frederick Ssempala*
Grace Baguma*
Hazzy Sengendo Kamya*
Joseph Kintu*
Josephine Delia*
Margaret Businde*
Mary Tukahirwa*
Mumanyire Myers*
Nathan K. Thembo*
Pross Mulyowa*
Sophia Rose Acen*
Teo Nabukenya*
Secondary Schools
Aisha Lubega* Nabisunsa Girls School
B.K. Kaziro* Duhaga Secondary School
Babimpa Gdwin* Masaba Secondary School
Beatrice Kabwa* Mt. St. Mary College (Namagunga)
Edward Brobukenya* St. Mary College (Kisubi)
Emma Lugujjo* Greenhill Academy
F. Tinkumanya* Kitebi Secondary School
Frank Manynido* Kyebambe Girls Secondary School
Hajj Kileezaala Twahil* Saad Memorial (Kasese)
James Akabwai* Teso College Alcet
K.H.W. Ssemakula* Kyamboga School
Lule Herbert* Muntuyera High School (Kitunga)
P.K. Ndiwalana* Princess Diana High School
Patrick Bakka Male* Mengo Secondary School
Rose Izizinga* Makarere College School
Stephen Kayanja* Seroma High School
Twaha Ssemakula* Greenhill Academy
Teacher Education Department
M.A.O. Ocen Commissioner Teacher Education
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 63 of 71
Zikanga Kiyyndo Dinansio Assistant Commissioner Secondary Education
Christopher Ckaddu Buyisi Principal Education Officer, Secondary Teacher Education
Uganda National Council for Science and Technology
Deborah Kasule*
Uganda National Examination Board
Anyukudo Stephen Otworot*
J. Turyatemba
Joseph Mutebi
Josephone O. Mutonyi
Joyce Awor Ebal
Julius Tenhwa
Kazeera Jackson*
Margaret Namakoye
N. Jalobo Jacan
Sarah Namadiba
Tom Ojok
Universities
C.B. Mugimu* Makerere University
S Oluka Makerere university
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 64 of 71
Summary of Results of a short survey of key stakeholders
The following notes are a summary of the results of a survey of key stakeholders on the effectiveness
of Uganda’s Secondary Curriculum – Assessment – Examination (UG-CURASSE) system. It took
place at a workshop organized by the Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES) on 25th of July 2007
in Kampala
Profile of the Respondents
31 Respondents participated in the survey. Out of them 17 were Headteachers in Secondary Schools,
2 were Teachers, 6 were employees of National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC), 2 were
employees of Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES), 2 were employees of Uganda National
Examinations Board (UNEB), 1 was an employee of the Uganda National Science and Technology
Council (UNSTC) and one was a representative of the Education Funding Agency Group (EFAG).
The profile of the schools of the responding headteachers was the following: 4 schools were reported
to be both Day and Boarding schools, 10 schools were Boarding only and 3 schools were day only.
Out of these schools 14 were Government aided and 2 were reported as Private. The Headteachers on
average have 7.7 years experience in their position (with experience ranging from 0.5 years to 15
years). They have on average 18.6 years of teaching experience (values ranging from 2.5 years to 30
years).
Comments on systems ability to produce competitive graduates
Most respondents agree that the Secondary education graduates are taught in overly theoretical manner
(driven by an exam-oriented system and teacher-centered methods of delivery) and have limited
practical skills as well as creative and thinking skills. The respondents have stressed the need to
emphasize the development of practical and life skills among the Secondary School graduates. Others
have observed that graduates’ competitiveness is limited to the local environment. In addition, the
respondents report that the character building aspects of education, such as citizenship, ethics and
responsibility seem to be lacking. Most agree that the system should be producing job-creators, not
job-seekers.
The downfalls of the system cited to create the current situation include: too congested and theoretical
curriculum with some times little relevance to Uganda, lack of and ill-equipped facilities, too much
emphasis put on exams.
SE Curricula
All of the 31 respondents agree that the Secondary Education curricula at both the O and A levels
should be revised. The main issues that the curriculum should address were identified as:
• Increasing relevance in teaching and in educational materials (teach what applies to society),
including incorporating ICT, life skills in the curriculum
• Increasing practical instruction (give students skills)
• Decreasing the number of subjects (from 42)
• Changing the allocation of time for subjects taught
• Producing new textbooks
• Reviewing assessment methods/evaluation
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 65 of 71
• Incorporating the market demand research in creating the curriculum
• Providing the syllabi and teachers guidelines for the subjects taught
• Addressing the duplication of content across the subjects and levels
• Addressing the cost-effectiveness of the current system
• Providing in-service teacher training
• Creating curricula which enhances thinking and problem-solving skills, writing and
comprehension skills, as well as moral values
• Curriculum should prepare the students for further study or job market (job creation)
• Provide guidelines for methodology
• Deepening the curriculum
Proposed Changes to SE Curriculum to improve transition of graduates to labor market
The proposed changes to the secondary curriculum to improve students’ entry to the labor market are:
• Considering the labor market demand
• Emphasizing skill-based subjects, particularly the ones that facilitate self-employment
• Integrate general vocational education
• Teaching subjects that address social and economic problems
• Reducing the dependency on exams for assessment
• Including more ICT and S&T in the curriculum
Gender Bias
The respondents report that girls are sometimes not encouraged to participate in co-curricular
activities. The textbooks usually only show boys in the positions of power and skill, with the girls
watching on the sidelines. The design of the books in terms of print, illustrations, style, language, is
not suited to girls. There is a traditional division between girls learning “female�? subjects such as
Home Economics, Cookery, etc. and boys learning the “male�? subjects such as Woodwork,
Metalwork, Bricklaying etc. The old technology in the “male�? subjects discourages the girls from
participating. There is a notion (among students and parents) that girls are not very good at
mathematics and sciences and they should be taught humanities. Some attitudes also indicate that girls
can do without much education or excellent performance.
Constraints of Science and Technology Subjects
The constraints in the Science and Technology subjects were predominantly reported as:
• Lack of skilled, properly trained and creative Teachers
• Lack of infrastructure (laboratories)
• Lack of equipment and chemicals, workbooks and other instructional materials
• Poor approach to learning sciences (they are considered too difficult)
10 respondents report that the failure rate for S&T subjects in their schools is 25% or higher (in two
cases 50% or more). This is attributed to the lack of properly prepared work plans, lack of well-
trained teachers, bad methods of delivery, lack of reading culture among the students, too much
theoretical training and not enough practical research, students’ attitude towards science, lack of the
relevant infrastructure and materials.
Among the respondents who report the rate of failure in S&T in their schools to be 25% or lower, the
reasons for the high pass rate are reported to be more funding, investment in facilities, apparatus,
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 66 of 71
chemicals, provision of counseling and guidance to students, engaging students in practical work,
provision of remedial classes, more testing, in-service training for teachers.
ICT
Out of the polled respondents 22 report that they own a computer while 8 report that they don’t. 22
have an email address while 4 do not. 15 respondents do use a computer to access teaching and
learning materials while 11 of them do not. 9 report that they use a computer to prepare teaching and
learning materials while 12 do not. Only 6 respondents has used a computer in the classroom as a
learning aid, while 15 report that they have not. 15 respondents have used a computer in
administrative tasks while 9 have not.
English Abilities of S1 students
The English skills of the S1 students are reported to be generally poor, with slightly better reading and
writing skills than oral communication skills. There is a difference between urban and rural students
with the urban students having better skills in speaking, writing and reading in English.
The suggested improvements of the students’ English skills include redesigning the curriculum,
exposing and encouraging the students to read more; providing more reading materials for students;
creating role playing, drama, debate activities and guided discussions; introducing writing
competitions and oral exams in English; making Literature in English a compulsory subject.
Textbook Provision
22 respondents answer that the supply of textbooks is inadequate while 3 report that it is adequate.
Most say that there is inadequate funding for textbooks - that they are too expensive and many times
they are out of stock. Some subjects do not have a textbook at all (e.g. woodwork, metalwork).
In terms of textbook quality, some textbooks are not relevant to the Ugandan situation, some are too
shallow and have mistakes and others are too old. The textbooks are often not interesting or
challenging to students. A number of departments has to use numerous books to adequately cover the
syllabus.
The respondents report that one textbook is shared on average between 4-5 students (but in some cases
as many as 20 students).
Teaching load
The teachers teach between 6 and 28 40-minute periods per week (on average 13.5 periods per week).
The class size varies between the levels and the subjects with higher number of students in the lower
levels S1-4 (50-90 students per class) and relatively smaller numbers in the higher levels S5-6 (20-50
students per class).
In terms of the initial training provided for the Teachers and Headteachers, most report that they have
not received training or it was inadequate. Some have had some initial training but mostly have
learned on the job. A number has attended courses out of their own initiative. Those who did receive
training report that it was often too cursory and was lacking in the areas of management and
curriculum implementation.
The majority has undergone some upgrading or professional development programs through in-service
workshops, courses at the Uganda Management Institute and the Makarere University and courses
organized by the World Bank or the British Council. Some are pursuing Masters programs in
Education, Education Management and Administration, Education Planning, etc. Most of these are
self-sponsored.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 67 of 71
Additional Comments
The respondents have stressed the importance of the curriculum reform and urged follow-up and
implementation. It was mentioned that stakeholder consultation is important and there is great need
for coordination of the effort.
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 68 of 71
Documents consulted
a) Documents from the Government of Uganda: Ministry of Education and Sports, National
Curriculum Development Centre
- Education Sector Strategic Plan 2004-2015 (MoES Education Planning Department, June 2004)
- Minutes of the Curriculum Review Task Force Meeting held on Friday 6th July 2007 (received from
MoES on July 23, 2007)
- Options for Post Primary Education and Training in Uganda – Increasing Access, Equity and
Efficiency. Summary Consultation Document (MoES Task Force on Post Primary Education and
Training – DATE?) K. Lewin
- Proposed List of the 22 Subjects on the Interim Curriculum (2007-2009); (prepared by National
Curriculum Development Centre for presentation to the SPM Committee, November 2006)
- TOR for Technical Assistance to Review of Curriculum, Assessment and Examination Systems in
Uganda (MoES and WB?)
- Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education. Regulations and Syllabuses, 1998-2003 and a selection
of examination papers
- Uganda Certificate of Education. Regulations and Syllabuses, 2006-2010 and a selection of
examination papers.
b) World Bank Publications
- Achieving EFA in Uganda: the Big Bang approach (WB website for Uganda)
- Bregman, Jacob (2006); Knowledge and Competencies for economic growth and social cohesion;
presented at the Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa “Knowledge for Africa’s development:
innovation, education and ICT�?; AFTHD, World Bank, May 2006
- Cuadra E and Moreno M (team leaders) (2005) Expanding Opportunities and Building Competencies
for Young People: A New Agenda for Secondary Education. World Bank.
- Johanson R and Adams A, (2004). Skills development in Sub-Saharan Africa, World Bank
- ICT at a Glance: Uganda (World Bank)
- Nannyonjo, H (2007). Human Development in Uganda: Opportunities and Challenges – Towards a
Policy Agenda – DRAFT Concept Note
- SEIA: At the Crossroads: Choices for Secondary Education and Training in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Synthesis SEIA Report disseminated and discussed at the 3rd SEIA Regional Conference in Ghana
(April 1-4, 2007); SEIA publication, main author: A. Verspoor; World Bank, Washington, DC.
www.worldbank.org/afr/seia
- Curricula, Examinations and Assessment in Sub-Saharan Secondary Education (CASASE); SEIA
publication; Africa Region Human Development (AFTHD); World Bank, 2007.
www.worldbank.org/afr/seia
- SMICT: Developing Science, Mathematics and ICT Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: SEIA
publication, Africa Region Human Development (AFTHD); World Bank, 2007.
www.worldbank.org/afr/seia
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 69 of 71
- Winkler, L. Sondergard D (2007) The Efficiency of Public Education in Uganda – DRAFT
c) Other Publications on Secondary Education in Africa
- Bregman J. and Bryner K. (2003). Quality of Secondary Education in Africa. Paper presented at the
2003 ADEA Biennale. Available at:
http://www.adeanet.org/biennial2003/papers/7A_Bregman_ENG.pdf
- Kellaghan T. and Greaney V, (2003) Monitoring Performance: Assessment and Examinations in
Africa (paper presented at the 2003 ADEA Biennale)
- Lauglo J, and MacLean, R (eds), (2005) Vocationalisation of Secondary education Revisited,
UNEVOC, World Bank, Springer.
d) Internet Articles and Relevant Websites
- The Aga Khan High School, Kampala, Uganda – Curriculum
(www.agakhanschools.org/uganda/akhs/curriculum.asp)
- Kirungi F. (2000) Uganda tackling school bottlenecks: after rapid primary growth, focus shifts to
quality and to secondary education (in Africa Recovery, Vol 14 #2, July 2000, p.20) Summary of
Results of Brief Survey of key stakeholders
- Uganda – Educational System Overview (from http://education.stateuniversity.com)
f) Mozambique Documents - Sample framework for the Inception Report
- Verspoor, A (2007) Mozambique: Towards a Revised Strategy for Secondary Education, Ministry of
Education, Mozambique.
g) Various Documents on Secondary Education, Examinations and Assessments
-Akker, J.J.H. van den. (2003). Curriculum perspectives: an introduction. In J. van den Akker, W.
Kuiper & U. Hameyer (Eds.). Curriculum landscape and trends. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic
Publishers.
- Benavot, Aaron (2004). Global Study of Intended Instructional Time and Official School Curricula,
1980-2000. Available at:
http://portal.UNESCO.org/education/en/filedownload.php/391ba94c5b881d458103798858799024Ben
avot.doc
- Benavot, Aaron (2006), The diversification of secondary education: school curricula in comparative
perspective, in Profesorado. Revista de currículum y formación del profesorado, 10, 1 (2006)
- Department of Education, South Africa, (2007) National Curriculum Statements, Thutong, South
African Education portal.
- Ministry of Education, Botswana (2002) Curriculum blueprint: Senior secondary school program,
Gaborone
- Ministry of Education, Singapore (2006) Nurturing every child; Flexibility & Diversity in Singapore
Schools, Singapore.
- Science (National Center for Education Statistics, (2004) Comparing NAEP, TIMSS, and PISA in
Mathematics
- TIMSS Overview and Key Findings Across Grade Levels U.S.
(http://www.ed.gov/inits/Math/tmpres2.html)
Uganda SEIA-Curasse draft report (v43 10Sep07)
Page 70 of 71