KAMPALA, Uganda — The new Competency-Based Curriculum is producing a more creative and innovative generation of students, according to findings released by the Uganda National Examinations Board.
UNEB Chairperson Prof. Celestino Obua announced the results Friday during the release of the 2025 Uganda Certificate of Education examination results. This year marks the second cohort of candidates assessed under the new curriculum.
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A comprehensive study conducted by the board over the last year compared CBC students to those trained under the previous content-based system. Obua said the results provide empirical evidence that the reform is successfully transforming the skill sets of Ugandan learners.
The findings provide a clear and convincing answer, Obua said. The results confirm that the CBC is a strong, transformative curriculum, well-positioned to produce the type of Ugandans needed to drive the country’s socio-economic transformation.
The study found that students under the new curriculum demonstrate stronger research skills and a greater ability to construct knowledge independently. Educators and administrators surveyed also reported that these learners are more effective communicators with improved critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
UNEB Executive Director Dan Odong presented the findings to the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni. The research, conducted alongside the 2025 National Assessment of Progress in Education survey, involved interviews and focus groups with head teachers, instructors and students across 171 secondary schools.
The data shows a dramatic shift in student capability. According to the report, 93 percent of head teachers and 96 percent of teachers surveyed agreed that current learners demonstrate stronger problem-solving skills compared to those who studied under the previous system.
On the face of it, the new curriculum was meant to produce learners who would exhibit the generic 21st-century skills of critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration and problem-solving, Odong said. Skills which were majorly lacking in the old curriculum.
The study highlighted a move away from traditional teaching methods. Teachers reported they must now be more prepared for class because students often conduct independent research before lessons begin.
The practical impact is most visible in student-led projects, ranging from agricultural nursery beds and beekeeping to the production of liquid soap and charcoal briquettes. In one instance, a student composed a promotional song for a local hotel that was so successful the owner offered to pay the student’s tuition through the end of senior four.
Even if I drop out of school, I will not be stranded, one student told researchers. I have learned how to make my own money.
Beyond financial gains, the study noted a surge in student confidence. Teachers observed that frequent classroom presentations have helped students develop the self-esteem necessary to defend their ideas in public forums. Environmental conservation also emerged as a key theme, with students in several schools initiating projects to recycle plastic waste and plant trees.
While the 2024 assessment period was considered new territory, Obua noted that institutional capacity significantly improved for the 2025 cycle. He commended the dedication of the executive director and staff for the successful management and release of the results.
