New grading system for lower secondary curriculum explained

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The state minister for education and sports, Peter Ogwang, has presented a statement to Parliament regarding the new grading system under the lower secondary curriculum.

He emphasized that the reforms in student assessment now prioritize practical application over rote memorization, with a focus on evaluating students’ ability to apply knowledge and solve real-life problems.

Ogwang’s presentation on Thursday, February 20, 2025, sparked discussion in Parliament, with opposition MPs, led by Joseph Ssewungu (Kalunfu West County, NUP), requesting that in his role as the shadow minister for education, he be allowed to respond in writing in the next sitting. The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, who chaired the House agreed to the proposal.

Transition to Competence-Based Curriculum

In 2020, the Government, through the Ministry of Education and Sports, launched the competence-based curriculum for lower secondary education. This curriculum introduced significant changes to how students are assessed, incorporating Continuous Assessment (CA) and Project Work alongside the traditional End-of-Cycle Examinations.

Ogwang explained that the shift from the old grading system to the new one was driven by the need to align assessments with the revised curriculum. While the old system focused on content recall, the new system is competency-based and emphasizes real-world application.

“The new curriculum produces confident students who can communicate effectively, conduct research, and apply their knowledge, skills, and attitudes in real-life situations, rather than just memorizing facts for exams,” Ogwang said.

The new system, he added, prioritizes measuring practical proficiency and problem-solving abilities over mere factual recall.

Changes to UCE grading system

On February 11, 2024, the Ministry of Education and Sports released the results of two sets of Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations: the transitional exam and the first cohort of students from the competence-based curriculum. Under this new curriculum, grading has shifted from the old stanine system (scaling test scores on a nine-point standard scale) to letter grades (A, B, C, D, and E).

The achievement levels for each subject are based on scores from both Continuous Assessment and the End-of-Cycle Examinations. The new grading system reflects a learner's overall competence, taking into account both classroom assessments and project work, as well as final exam performance.

Reporting, grading, and certification under the new curriculum

The competency-based curriculum assesses what a learner can do with the knowledge and skills they have acquired. This shift has led to changes in the way student achievements are reported, graded, and certified.

The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), in collaboration with the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC), has developed a new reporting system that provides letter grades (A, B, C, D, E) for each subject.

Achievement levels are determined through a combination of school-level assessments (Continuous Assessment) and the End-of-Cycle Examination.

Additionally, project work is assessed separately and the results are presented as a standalone component on the student’s certificate. This assessment reflects the student’s ability to tackle real-world problems creatively.

The overall score comprises 20% from school-based assessments and 80% from the final examination.

Transcript and Certification Requirements

The new UCE transcript, issued by UNEB, will include key features such as the candidate's photograph, personal biodata, subject codes and names, and the grades achieved in each subject and project work. The transcript will also explain the certification conditions under the competence-based assessment system.

To receive a UCE certificate, a candidate must sit for at least eight subjects and achieve at least a grade D in each. If a candidate has not sat for all compulsory subjects or lacks Continuous Assessment scores or project work results, they will not be eligible for a certificate but will receive a transcript.

Candidates who only achieve an E grade in all subjects will not receive a certificate but will receive a transcript showing their level of achievement. If a candidate registers for the examination but does not sit for any exams, they will be issued a transcript instead of a certificate.

Ogwang reassured Parliament that all candidates who registered for the UCE exams would be eligible for a transcript, even if they did not meet the full certification requirements.

Senior five selection criteria

As in previous years, the computerized system at UNEB will be used to generate the selection lists for Senior Five. These lists will guide admission and placement for the next stage of education.