Uneb trains 52,000 examiners for new curriculum
The new curriculum seeks to ensure learners gain knowledge, understanding, skills, values and a positive attitude for the world of work. The new curriculum is also learner-centred. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- About 1.4 million learners have been registered this year to sit for the three sets of examinations; Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE), and the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE).
The Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) has trained 52,000 examiners in preparation for the upcoming national examinations under the new lower secondary education competence-based curriculum.
The Uneb spokesperson, Ms Jenipher Kalule, said examiners will now assess learners based on their competencies, focusing on practical knowledge and skills rather than rote learning.
Ms Kalule explained that this change aims to evaluate students' problem-solving abilities, creativity, and application of knowledge in real-world scenarios.
“We are slated to train at least 80,000 trainers but because of budget constraints, we have been able to train about 52,000. The training for the remaining 28,000 will be done when we get the funds. We have been promised these funds and I am hopeful that their training will be done before examinations kick-off,” she said in an interview yesterday. Uneb officials have also indicated that a major adjustment in the marking system will also take place this year.
Previously, examination papers were marked out of 100 percent, but this year, they will be marked out of 80 percent. The remaining 20 percent will be derived from school-based assessments, ensuring that a portion of learners’ final grades reflects their performance throughout the academic year.
This dual assessment approach is designed to create a more comprehensive evaluation of students’ abilities, bridging the gap between academic performance and practical competencies.
About 1.4 million learners have been registered this year to sit for the three sets of examinations; Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE), and the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE).
Uneb is also slated to conduct the transitional examinations for UCE candidates under the old curriculum. This is to cater to candidates who failed the examinations and those who registered but failed to sit for the examination.
Effective next year, examinations under the old curriculum will be phased out completely. “The transitional examination is off-sitting that Uneb is offering to interested parties who qualify and would like to either improve their grades or sit for the UCE examinations under the old curriculum. It will be conducted alongside the other UCE examinations based on the new curriculum,” Ms Kalule said.
