As schools gear up to prepare their Senior Four classes for the final round of exams under the old lower secondary curriculum, uncertainty surrounds the fate of students who may not succeed.
Stakeholders are yet to reach a consensus on how to handle those who do not pass the 2023 exams, as the transition to a new lower secondary curriculum looms.
Last of the Old Curriculum
The upcoming Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) exams will mark the last set of examinations under the old lower secondary curriculum.
Students currently in Senior Four have the unique position of being the final cohort to experience this curriculum.
Encouragement and Challenges for Senior Four Students
Rev. Henry Majwara, the Assistant Chaplain at Uganda Christian University, led a dedication prayer for a Senior Four class of 437 students at Ndejje Secondary School.
He encouraged the students to put forth their best effort to avoid repeating the class, emphasizing that there would be no opportunity to retake Senior Four in 2024.
The Transition to the New Curriculum
The new lower secondary curriculum will only accommodate students who begin afresh from Senior One.
While this change is on the horizon, the current Senior Four candidates remain outside this category due to their advanced preparation.
Concerns of Parents and Stakeholders
There is growing concern about how the government will address the students who either fail to sit for the 2023 exams or do not perform well.
The new curriculum features progressive assessment from Senior One, making it potentially challenging for these students to fit in seamlessly.
Uneb’s Response:
The Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) has acknowledged these concerns.
While Uneb’s primary focus is on the success of the 2023 candidates, they have proposed plans to address this issue.
However, the final decisions rest with the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders.
Uneb is working on potential solutions that could be considered “plan B.”
Additional Information
The head teacher of Ndejje Secondary School, Mr. Charles Kahigiriza, noted that the current Senior Four class represents the largest number of candidates in the history of the school to sit for the UCE exam.
These candidates have had the advantage of studying for five years, rather than the typical four.
A total of 364,421 candidates are expected to sit the 2023 UCE exam, slightly higher than the previous year’s number, which was 349,433 candidates.
As the final old curriculum UCE exams approach, the education sector and authorities continue to grapple with how to support students in the transition to the new curriculum, ensuring their educational continuity.
