Senior Two students have registered marked improvements in proficiency in English Language, Mathematics and Biology, according to the 2025 National Assessment of Progress in Education (NAPE), the first national secondary school assessment conducted since the rollout of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) in 2020.
The assessment, conducted last year by the Research and Development Department of the Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb), covered learners in 136 districts. It was the first such evaluation in 11 years, with the previous assessment conducted in 2014. Uneb Executive Director Dan Odongo attributed the long gap to funding constraints.
‘We have not been able to carry out this assessment in secondary schools for the last 11 years due to a shortage of funds,’ Mr Odongo said.
Launching the report yesterday, Education Minister Dr John Chrysostom Muyingo urged teachers and school leaders to fully embrace the competency-based curriculum, saying it was designed to equip learners with practical skills rather than encourage rote learning.
He, however, expressed concern that some schools were not implementing the curriculum as required, particularly the continuous assessment component.
‘For example, schools have continued to teach outside the stipulated time, and some start project work only in Senior Three instead of following the prescribed guidelines,’ Dr Muyingo said. He urged education stakeholders to study the findings carefully and develop targeted interventions to address the gaps identified.
English performance improves
The report shows that proficiency in English Language improved significantly, with the proportion of Senior Two learners rated proficient rising from 49.3 percent in 2014 to 80.7 percent in 2025.
Uneb attributes the improvement to several government interventions, including the deployment of more teachers, expansion of school infrastructure and education reforms, particularly the implementation of the competency-based curriculum.
Private schools shine Private schools performed better than government schools in the writing sub-skill, with 85 percent of learners rated proficient compared to 79.4 percent in government schools. Location also influenced performance.
Urban schools registered 86 percent proficiency in writing compared to 71.1 percent in rural schools. Boarding students also outperformed day scholars. About 88.3 percent of boarders were proficient in writing compared to 74.5 percent of day scholars, although the report notes that the difference was not statistically significant. Learners in non-Universal Secondary Education (USE) schools also performed better, with 88 percent rated proficient compared to 77 percent in USE schools.
The assessment further shows a shift in gender performance. While boys outperformed girls in 2014, girls overtook boys in 2025, widening the gender gap in favour of female learners.
Learners with special needs
Despite the overall gains, the report highlights persistent challenges among learners with disabilities. Less than half (46.7 percent) of deaf learners were rated proficient in the writing sub-skill, well below the national average of about 80 percent. The assessment also recorded notable improvement in Mathematics.
National proficiency rose from 41.5 percent under the previous curriculum to 61.6 percent under the competency-based curriculum. Uneb again links the improvement to increased teacher deployment, better school infrastructure and curriculum reforms.
Although private schools registered a slightly higher proficiency rate (66.5 percent) than government schools (60.1 percent), the difference was not considered statistically significant.
However, gender disparities remained pronounced. In government schools, 71.3 percent of boys were proficient in Mathematics compared to 49.1 percent of girls. In private schools, 74 percent of boys were proficient compared to 59.5 percent of girls. Urban learners also outperformed their rural counterparts, with proficiency standing at 67.8 percent against 50.3 percent in rural schools.
Similarly, learners in non-USE schools performed better than those in USE schools, recording proficiency levels of 71.7 percent and 56.4 percent respectively. The report notes that the gender gap in Mathematics widened between 2014 and 2025, with boys maintaining a stronger lead. Performance among learners with disabilities remained low. Only 16.7 percent of deaf learners and 48.4 percent of blind learners were rated proficient, both below the national average.
Biology shows progress
Biology also registered substantial improvement. The proportion of learners rated proficient more than doubled from 20.5 percent in 2014 to 45.6 percent in 2025. Reacting to the findings, Uganda Professional Science Teachers’ Union General Secretary Aron Mugaiga welcomed the assessment, saying it provides evidence needed to improve learning outcomes.
He said the disparities between urban and rural schools largely stem from differences in resources and staffing.
‘Urban schools have the capacity to hire more teachers and pay them better, unlike many rural schools where incomes are limited and institutions largely depend on government funding,’ Mr Mugaiga said.