Uganda Caps Lower Primary Learning Time at Three Hours Under New Curriculum

Ugandan pupils in lower primary could spend no more than three hours a day in structured learning under a new competency-based curriculum (CBC) the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) expects to roll out in 2028.

Dr Patrice Ssembirige, NCDC's acting director, said the proposed structure ties classroom time directly to a child's age. Children aged three to four should be engaged for a maximum of two hours daily, those aged four to five for two to three hours, and children aged five to six for about three hours.

Ssembirige said young learners should not face excessively long school days, arguing that the lower primary curriculum needs to reflect their developmental stage rather than treat them as "miniature secondary school students."

He said structured activities should run in short bursts of 15 to 30 minutes at a time, adding that there is no need for children this young to be in school as early as 5am. The approach, he said, accounts for physical, cognitive, language, social and emotional development.

According to Ssembirige, the early childhood curriculum has been deliberately kept light and remains under review as NCDC consults teachers and other stakeholders on what suits different age groups.

Before the curriculum reaches classrooms, NCDC plans to subject new learning materials to quality assurance and approval processes. Ssembirige said the centre's governing council will provide guidance on the materials in line with policy direction from the Ministry of Education and Sports.

The lower primary reforms would align with the competency-based approach already running at lower secondary level, introduced in 2020. That rollout has been uneven, with some teachers, parents and other stakeholders still adjusting to their roles under the new system.

Speaking separately at the launch of the second International Conference on Curriculum Development, Gilbert Gift Siima, manager of NCDC's Secondary Department, said the competency-based curriculum has now been adopted by all schools running the lower secondary programme.

Siima pointed to practical outcomes from the shift, citing student-led projects including a motorcycle built by a group of learners in Entebbe. He said several schools have published similar innovations developed through competency-based teaching.

Effective implementation, Siima said, depends on engagement from teachers, parents and the wider community, not just the curriculum document itself. He acknowledged that a number of stakeholders are still learning the roles the reforms require of them.

NCDC is also drafting a curriculum framework for A-level, though the process remains at the testing stage. Officials are trialling the draft in selected schools before submitting it for formal approval, with Siima asking the public for patience given the later start of A-level reforms compared with lower secondary.

The competency-based approach across all levels aims to shift teaching away from memorisation toward critical thinking, creativity and the practical application of knowledge. NCDC says the goal is preparing learners for a changing labour market and a more competitive global economy, with reforms expected to require greater interaction between teachers and pupils across the education system.