The National Planning Authority \u2013 NPA has proposed the phasing out of the Primary Leaving Examinations \u2013 PLE by 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a document titled; \u201cThe National Planning Authority Issue Paper On Uganda\u2019s Education Reforms,\u201d presented to the Education policy review commission, the authority argues that the said national assessment is irreverent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOverall, by 2027, entry to S1 should be automatic for each learner who completes the 7-year primary cycle\u2026 the UCE (Uganda Certificate of Education) to be the first national assessment in the Ugandan education system,\u201d the document reads in part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr. Hamis Mugendawala, the Manager of Policy Research and Innovation at NPA says that PLE has become a stumbling block in the transition of many learners from primary to lower secondary yet both are part of what is described as basic education. To him, if both levels make up basic education, then failing a learner to transit through due to an examination is a total contradiction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr. Mugendawala states that with PLE, the purpose of assessment at the primary level has become overly vulgarized and not uniform, frequently limiting learning to just examinable subjects, more so in private schools. He explains that this leaves out learning areas like music, dance, drama, and co-curricular yet they are critical to the development of the learner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The idea of phasing out the PLE has been proposed before, as seen in the 13th edition of the Uganda Economic update report by the World Bank. This report recommended that government scraps PLE and implements a policy of automatic promotion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The proposal generated mixed reactions from the public, with some educationists advising the government to carefully consider the idea. In the early months of the commission, there were calls from various individuals to eliminate PLE and revamp the assessment framework.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The idea was equally backed by Uwezo Uganda, an organization involved in conducting research on quality and effective education, which suggested that the Ministry of Education and Sports considers revamping the assessment framework to allow for more opportunities for class-based continuous assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is also important to note that the Kajubi Report, which was adopted with a few modifications to inform the 1992 Government White Paper on Education, had three recommendations aimed at transforming the overlay summative primary assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The report favored a system of a continuous comprehensive evaluation, in which PLE would no longer be the sole determining factor for admission to secondary schools. According to the new proposal by NPA, if PLE is abolished, it should be replaced with school-based continuous assessments and the National Assessment of Progress in Education (NAPE).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NAPE, which is currently administered by the Uganda National Examinations Board, is a low-stake random sample assessment. At the primary level, NAPE focuses on primary three and six learners and has been in use since 1996.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All test-takers are presented with the same cognitive booklets or tests, which are aligned with the national curriculum of each targeted grade. Mugendawala says that analysis shows that NAPE is a better assessment as it\u2019s not geared towards eliminating learners from the system but rather informing teachers on the gaps in the learning and teaching process and the progress of each learner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In an effort to reduce dropout rates in primary schools, the government introduced the automatic promotion policy in addition to making primary education free and other interventions. Under this policy, all learners are required to progress to the next class regardless of their academic performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite this, the transition rate remains low with about 32 percent of learners who enroll in primary one being able to move on to post-primary institutions. However, it is important to note that studies have indicated that many other factors limit the transition besides examinations, including but not limited to school levies, early marriages, long distance to school, and lack of interest in schooling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, NPA has proposed an overhaul of the curriculum in order to cater to the specific needs of the people in a particular area. The proposal calls for a curriculum that speaks to the local context, for example, if an area is known for cattle keeping, the primary curriculum should reflect this to help learners relate with the subjects they are learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cReform the primary curriculum to allow for diversity such that besides the core national curriculum, there is a curriculum that is domesticated and aligned to the local economy within the region,\u201d the recommendation reads in part. NPA has also proposed that there is a need to increase the primary cycle to 8 years, with the 8th year serving as a preschool to prepare learners for primary education as well as addressing wastage from repetition and dropout in the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Authority further notes that whereas Early childhood education should largely be provided by the private sector due to competing demands on the consolidated fund, the government should deliberately expand provision for children in nomadic, conflict and poverty-stricken communities by providing one year of preschool through the annexation of an extra pre-school class to selected public primary schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Ministry of Education and Sports should regularize and regulate the ECCEs that have been established within the public primary schools for them to provide quality holistic ECCE services for the 3-5-year olds and ensure their smooth transition to primary,\u201d the part adds. Additionally, the authority suggested that the government revise the Education Act (2008) and related laws to criminalize the non-enrollment of school-age children between 6-16 years, making primary and lower secondary education mandatory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Constituted in 2020, the Amanya Mushega Commission is currently holding public hearings and field visits as they look for solutions to the numerous challenges in Uganda\u2019s education system. The Commission has a one-year mandate to investigate issues in the Education and Sports sector with the goal of producing a new Government White paper that will modernize the country\u2019s Education and Sports system to address 21st-century challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Editor’s Note : URN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The National Planning Authority \u2013 NPA has proposed the phasing out of the Primary Leaving Examinations \u2013 PLE by 2027.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8193,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[64,65],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","category-national-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/FoO0CRtXgAA98nb.jpeg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":16407,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/ple-subjects-to-increase-to-six\/","url_meta":{"origin":8192,"position":0},"title":"PLE Subjects To Increase To Six","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"February 4, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) subjects in Uganda are set to increase from four to six, with Religious education and kiswahili becoming stand alone subjects alongside , mathematics , english , social studies and science . This change, part of broader education reforms, aims to strengthen practical learning and align primary\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Education"","block_context":{"text":"Education","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/education\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":11286,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/uneb-set-to-release-2023-ple-results-tomorrow\/","url_meta":{"origin":8192,"position":1},"title":"UNEB Set To Release 2023 PLE Results Tomorrow","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"January 24, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) is now set to release the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) results for 2023 tomorrow Thursday, January 25th, 2024, at 11:00 am. The event will take place at State House Nakasero and will be presided over by the First Lady and Minister of Education and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Education"","block_context":{"text":"Education","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/education\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/jan.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/jan.jpg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/jan.jpg 1.5x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/jan.jpg 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13679,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/2024-ple-results-girls-beat-boys-again-candidates-performed-well-in-mathematics-but-declined-in-english\/","url_meta":{"origin":8192,"position":2},"title":"2024 PLE Results Girls Beat Boys Again, Candidates Performed Well In Mathematics But There Was A Decline In English","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"January 23, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has released the 2024 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) results, with girls performing better than boys and candidates performed better in mathematics than English . Over all performance of candidates improved compared to 2023 and there was a reduction in absenteeism rates among candidates. At\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "National News"","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/national-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/7b98ba62430508442bd80472d981ef6f.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/7b98ba62430508442bd80472d981ef6f.jpg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/7b98ba62430508442bd80472d981ef6f.jpg 1.5x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/7b98ba62430508442bd80472d981ef6f.jpg 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1949,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/uneb-exams-set-for-early-next-year-due-to-covid-19\/","url_meta":{"origin":8192,"position":3},"title":"UNEB EXAMS SET FOR EARLY NEXT YEAR DUE TO COVID -19","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"September 25, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The Government has released the new \u00a0academic calendar \u00a0with the \u00a0UNEB exams including PLE, UCE and UACE \u00a0set for\u00a0 early next year . The new calendar released by the Ministry of Education and Sports Permanent Secretary, Alex Kakooza, primary, secondary and technical schools plus community polytechnics will start the second\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Education"","block_context":{"text":"Education","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/education\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Museveni-opening-schools.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Museveni-opening-schools.jpg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Museveni-opening-schools.jpg 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13666,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/uneb-to-release-ple-results-today\/","url_meta":{"origin":8192,"position":4},"title":"UNEB To Release PLE Results Today","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"January 22, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Uganda\u00a0National\u00a0Examinations Board (UNEB), is set to release results for a total of 798,763 PLE candidates who sat for the exams last year . This total includes 419,357 females and 379,414 males . In a statement, UNEB Executive Secretary Mr. Dan Odongo, said that the results to be released have been\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "National News"","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/national-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/5a327baced80439a87d2def8e3d19095.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/5a327baced80439a87d2def8e3d19095.jpg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/5a327baced80439a87d2def8e3d19095.jpg 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11301,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/ple-results-out-senior-one-selections-for-february-192024\/","url_meta":{"origin":8192,"position":5},"title":"PLE RESULTS OUT, SENIOR ONE SELECTIONS FOR FEBRUARY 19,2024","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"January 25, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The Minister of Education and Sports Mrs. Janet Museveni has released the Primary Leaving Exams (PLE) 2023 results at State House Nakasero.\u00a0 The First Lady said that the selection of senior one students will begin on February 19, 2024. According to UNEB, a total of 749,254 candidates from 15,859 centers\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Education"","block_context":{"text":"Education","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/education\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/jan-1.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/jan-1.jpg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/jan-1.jpg 1.5x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/jan-1.jpg 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pc0aOV-288","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8192","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8192"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8192\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8194,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8192\/revisions\/8194"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8193"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}