Sample test papers for New Lower Secondary Curriculum ready — UNEB

Sample test papers and continuous assessment data collection tool for assessment of New Lower Secondary Curriculum (NLSC) are ready.

The Ministry of Education and Sports has hailed the Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) for the extensive preparations that have been carried out for the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) under the New Lower Secondary Curriculum (NLSC). 

The Director for Basic and Secondary Education, in the Ministry of Education and Sports, Ismael Mulindwa made the commendation on Monday, March 18, 2024, at a stakeholder engagement on the assessment under the NLSC. 

The Director, who represented the Permanent Secretary, Ketty Lamaro, said the engagement was pertinent as it targeted key stakeholders with diverse complementary roles in the implementation of the NLSC.

The two-day engagement is attended by Senior officials of the Ministry of Education and Sports, including Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners, Ministry and Regional Inspectors of the Directorate of Education Standards (DES) as well as the SESEMAT.

 Mulindwa implored the participants to be ambassadors for the successful implementation of the NLSC as well as Competency-Based Assessment.

He stressed the need for them to guide schools under their jurisdiction and assure them that come October-November this year, UNEB will assess the UCE learners based on the NLSC.  

The UNEB Executive Director, Dan Odongo, revealed that the Continuous Assessment data collection tool as well as the sample examination papers were now ready for schools to access.

The purpose of the sample materials is to guide schools on the new assessment formats for Competency Based Assessment.

“With these tools, schools will now be comforted, and know how the assessment will go. The sample papers are however just dummies of what is likely to come in the end-cycle assessment. The final scenarios will certainly be different,’’ he said.

The host of the meeting and Director Examinations, Mike Nangosya Masikye explained that UNEB established that some competencies in the NLSC can be assessed appropriately through Continuous Assessment (CA)- Psychomotor, affective domains, while the cognitive domain is appropriately assessed at the end of cycle. 

He said Continuous Based Assessment offers an opportunity to assess generic skills required for the 21st century.

The manager Examinations Development, Florence Buyinza Agola said the new curriculum targets to produce lifelong learners who can fit in the dynamic world.

She added that obtaining such quality of graduates requires implementing holistic learning, valid and reliable assessment of the NLSC and full participation of all stakeholders.