The YES-PACT Learning Series has enabled key stakeholders, industry players, and the public from the six YES-PACT member countries—Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Niger, Rwanda, and Uganda—to engage in discussions of practical policy solutions, share knowledge, and identify common gaps and best practices.
Moderated by Deborah Delasi Akoto Tamakloe, ACET Research Analyst and YES-PACT Coordinator, this sixth Learning Series session featured a distinguished panel including Gilbert Gift Siima from Uganda’s National Curriculum Development Center; Jackie Namakula, a global education advocate from Uganda; Alberta Takie, a teaching and learning coordinator from Ghana; Genevieve Mensah from Ghana’s National Council for Curriculum and Assessment; and Earnest Sitshebo, an education official from Zimbabwe. Together, they explored the challenges and triumphs of Uganda’s shift from a traditional, knowledge-based education system to a competency-based framework designed to empower students with practical skills.
Mona Iddrisu, Head of Youth Employment and Skills at the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET), praised the YES-PACT chapters for fostering cross-border dialogue and innovation. “Through these learning series events, we’ve not only exchanged knowledge but also fostered solutions that are transforming education systems across Africa,” she said in her opening remarks. Highlighting the urgency of skills-focused policies, particularly in Uganda where 75 percent of the population is under 30, Ms. Iddrisu emphasized: “Strengthening our education systems is key to bridging the skills gap and addressing youth unemployment.”
Speaker presentations: reforming the lower secondary curriculum
Historical context and implementation
Gilbert Gift Siima, Manager of the Secondary Education Department at Uganda’s National Curriculum Development Center (NCDC) meticulously detailed Uganda’s ambitious journey toward educational transformation, specifically through the reform of its lower secondary curriculum. He began by grounding his discussion in the historical evolution of Uganda’s education system, which had its roots in the British colonial curriculum established in 1918. This curriculum, while foundational, was primarily academic and poorly aligned with the practical needs of Ugandan society.
Over the decades, various commissions evaluated and revised the system to varying degrees of success. The Phelps-Stokes Commission of the 1920s criticized the curriculum for its failure to impart tangible skills, while the Binns Study Group of 1951 noted low education standards and the widespread aversion to technical education. Similarly, the Castle Commission of 1963 sought to restructure the education system to address Uganda’s national needs post-independence, but even these efforts fell short of comprehensive reform.
A significant turning point came with the Kajubi Commission of 1989, which emphasized the importance of integrating vocational content into the education system. By 1992, the government adopted many of these recommendations in its white paper on education, but as Siima noted, the curriculum continued to lack relevance in addressing contemporary societal and labor market demands. In 2012, a situational analysis conducted by the NCDC and a subsequent labor market survey confirmed that secondary school graduates often lacked critical skills such as teamwork, communication, and time management. These findings underscored the urgent need for a systemic overhaul.
The new competency-based curriculum (CBC), introduced in 2020, represented a fundamental departure from the traditional knowledge-based approach. Siima explained how the CBC prioritized experiential learning, encouraging students to engage in discovery, analysis, and practical application. A central question drove the reform: “What is the learner able to do?” This question reflected a shift in focus from theoretical knowledge to practical skills, with the curriculum incorporating continuous assessments that emphasized consistent learning and real-world problem solving.
The rollout of the new curriculum, however, was not without its challenges. Siima described the resistance encountered among educators, many of whom were accustomed to traditional, teacher-centered methodologies. Retraining teachers to adopt learner-centered approaches required significant time, resources, and effort. Additionally, the lack of ICT infrastructure in schools posed a major hurdle, as many institutions were unprepared to integrate technology into teaching.
Despite these obstacles, Siima reported progress. He drew upon the DREC model, a framework for understanding change, to illustrate how stakeholders transitioned from skepticism to eventual acceptance. Through extensive teacher training, the development of support materials, and ongoing school-based mentorship, the NCDC gradually built confidence in the curriculum’s transformative potential.
A teacher’s perspective on delivery
Jackie Namakula, Global Education Advocate and YES-PACT Uganda chapter member, provided a complementary perspective, focusing on the implementation of the CBC from the viewpoint of an educator. She painted a vivid picture of how the new curriculum had impacted students and teachers alike.
Namakula observed that the CBC had succeeded in fostering a more engaged and responsible student body. Learners were encouraged to participate actively in their education through research, project work, and discussions. This approach not only built confidence but also equipped students with practical skills essential for life beyond secondary school. She referenced programs like the Directorate of Industrial Training, which introduced vocational opportunities such as plumbing, motor mechanics, and hairdressing, enabling students to create jobs and support themselves after graduation. Parents also have become more involved in school activities, a development Namakula saw as a key driver of accountability and discipline.
However, she acknowledged that not all stakeholders had embraced the CBC with equal enthusiasm. Some teachers remained resistant to change, preferring the familiarity of traditional teaching methods. The workload associated with the CBC, particularly in managing continuous assessments and practical learning activities, proved daunting for many educators. Large class sizes further complicated these efforts, making it difficult to maintain the quality of assessments.
Infrastructure deficits posed another significant challenge. Many schools, particularly in rural areas, lacked basic resources such as electricity, internet access, and materials for practical subjects like science, home economics, and ICT. Namakula also highlighted the issue of parental awareness; many parents did not fully understand the CBC, which limited their ability to support their children’s education effectively.
Despite these challenges, Namakula expressed optimism about the future of the CBC. She praised the nationwide training initiatives conducted by the Uganda National Examinations Board and the NCDC, which helped to equip teachers with the skills needed to assess students under the new framework. She also noted the valuable contributions of research bodies like the Economic Policy Research Centre, whose findings informed government policies aimed at improving CBC implementation. Namakula identified several opportunities for further improvement, including intensified ICT training for teachers, increased school inspections to ensure adherence to CBC standards, and enhanced community outreach through media campaigns to raise awareness about the curriculum.
Together, the presentations by Siima and Namakula offered a comprehensive analysis of Uganda’s educational reform. Siima provided a macro-level perspective, emphasizing the curriculum’s alignment with labor market needs and its potential to drive national development. Namakula’s micro-level insights illuminated the day-to-day realities of implementing the curriculum, from the transformative impact on students to the logistical and infrastructural challenges faced by educators. Both presentations underscored the importance of continued investment in teacher training, resource allocation, and stakeholder engagement to ensure the CBC’s long-term success.
Panel discussion: addressing key questions
After the speaker presentations, the event featured a dynamic Q&A, with the moderator posing critical questions to uncover the nuances of Uganda’s reforms.
Alberta Takie, T-TEL’s Curriculum Implementation, Teaching and Learning Coordinator (Ghana) was asked what key strategies she saw as essential for ensuring that a new curriculum can be successfully adopted and consistently applied across schools, particularly in regions with limited resources.
Response: Ms. Takie responded that Ghana’s curriculum reforms prioritized effective implementation over design, emphasizing teacher involvement in curriculum development. Teachers acted as advocates and received ongoing training through professional learning communities, which replaced the outdated cascade training model. These weekly sessions allowed educators to collaborate and align on teaching and assessment strategies, fostering a mindset shift towards practical application and critical thinking. Ghana also incorporated transcripts alongside traditional examination results to track continuous assessment. Additionally, proactive stakeholder engagement, including parents, unions, and learners, ensured wide acceptance. Learner materials served as interim resources while textbooks were developed, improving ICT skills for both teachers and students.
Ms. Takie also was asked about the importance of institutional-level support in curriculum reform, and what specific types of support would she recommend for enhancing teacher preparedness and curriculum effectiveness.
Response: She explained that in Ghana, the curriculum was developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment and implemented by the Ghana Education Service. The process involved various institutions working together to ensure effective implementation. The curriculum was monitored by a ministerial oversight committee, where agencies under the Ministry of Education met monthly to discuss progress and address challenges. Institutions collaborated to resolve issues promptly. Teacher training was aligned with the new curriculum, ensuring that teacher education reflected the changes. Colleges of education adapted their programs to match the revised curriculum, and senior high school and university teacher training programs were also updated. These revised programs were under assessment by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission and would be implemented in the next academic year. Ms. Takie said that the integrated approach ensured the synchronization of curriculum development and teacher training for effective implementation.
Genevieve Mensah, the Principal Curriculum Development Officer and Head of the Languages Department at Ghana’s National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, was asked which key strategies from Ghana’s curriculum reform experience would she recommend to Uganda to address gaps in teacher training and ICT integration to enhance curriculum delivery.
Response: Ms. Mensah noted that teachers in Ghana were provided with laptops and basic ICT training to enhance lesson delivery. She added that collaborative initiatives with partners like UNICEF and USAID contributed significantly to resource provision and capacity building for teachers; professional learning communities helped address gaps in teacher understanding; and pre-service teacher training was aligned with the new curriculum to prepare educators effectively. She also advised that Uganda engage parents, emphasizing their crucial role in the effective implementation of the curriculum since it emphasized social-emotional learning, which both teachers and parents needed to model. Parents’ understanding of their responsibilities was key to fostering active involvement in Ghana, she said.
Earnest Sitshebo, the Principal Materials Production Officer at the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Head Office in Zimbabwe, was asked about his experience integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies into TVET—specifically, what lessons could Uganda adopt to bridge its gaps in digital infrastructure and ensure equitable access to technology in schools.
Response: Mr. Sitshebo noted several key takeaways: investing in digital infrastructure such as computer labs and internet connectivity through public-private partnerships, providing comprehensive teacher training in technologies such as AI and digital pedagogies, and aligning the curriculum with Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies like the Internet of Things and data analytics. He said that Zimbabwe also demonstrated the importance of equitable access through e-learning platforms and offline resources, supported by robust monitoring frameworks. And he said that involving parents and teachers in curriculum development ensured ownership and smooth implementation. Earnest added that in Zimbabwe, the cascading of the curriculum was supported through teachers’ associations, ensuring that all teachers were included at various levels: national, provincial, district, and school forums. And the assessment system was threefold: continuous assessment, school-based projects using local resources, and profiling from early childhood to upper secondary.
Key Takeaways
The session closed with a reflection on the broader implications of Uganda’s reforms. As the first cohort of students await their results, the impact of these changes is already apparent in the classroom. By prioritizing practical skills and learner-centered approaches, Uganda is setting a precedent for other nations seeking to modernize their education systems. Participants agreed on a number of key themes and topics for further learning and exploration.
Embracing a paradigm shift in learning. Uganda’s competency-based curriculum represents a transformative approach to education, with a focus on practical skills and learner engagement.
The power of collaboration. By fostering cross-border learning, YES-PACT is driving innovation and shared solutions in education.
Infrastructure as a bottleneck. Addressing ICT and resource gaps is critical for scaling these reforms.
The need for continuous professional development. Teachers are central to successful implementation, requiring ongoing training and support.
Original article from ACET
