Schools Upcountry perfom better : Kampala schools blame UNEB for undermarking

Several schools in Kampala have expressed concerns about official exam results, claiming their students received lower marks than expected. These schools argue that the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has intentionally given their candidates lower grades.

For years, top schools in Kampala, often seen as "distinction factories," have consistently produced high-achieving students. However, recent trends show a decline in top grades, leaving schools and parents frustrated. This year’s results revealed that only 82 students from Kampala and Wakiso achieved the highest scores, raising concerns among educators and parents.

Many schools in the city believe UNEB uses different grading criteria for urban and rural schools, which they say unfairly affects their students. Some schools have even requested remarking to challenge what they see as an unfair assessment. However, UNEB has denied these allegations, insisting that its marking process is fair and consistent nationwide.

Rose Nabukenya Mukasa, UNEB’s Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) Manager, clarified in an interview with Uganda Radio Network that exam scripts are marked anonymously. She explained that random numbers are assigned to each script, ensuring impartiality. She emphasized, “These top city schools have numerous examiners involved in the marking process. No one can claim we use multiple marking guides—there is only one standardized guide. These days, it’s impossible to tell which candidate, school, or region a paper comes from.”

For those still unsatisfied with their results, UNEB allows schools or parents to request a recheck to verify that marks were recorded correctly. However, rechecking does not involve re-evaluating the content of the answers. UNEB provides this service within two weeks after results are released while scripts are still at marking centers. Rechecking is available for Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) and the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE), while actual remarking is only offered for the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) and comes with a fee.

The issue of city schools questioning UNEB’s grading is not new. In 2018, UNEB adjusted its marking and quality assurance processes, resulting in noticeable changes in performance trends. Rural schools began performing better than some city schools, leading to complaints. In 2019, then-Primary Education Minister Rosemary Sseninde dismissed these concerns, stating, “You reap what you sow! These schools are just giving excuses because if someone has invested a lot in you in the form of fees and there’s no tangible result, there is no excuse you can give apart from saying UNEB messed me up.”

Complaints continued in 2020 and have grown stronger this year. Frustrated parents have also joined the debate, taking to social media to express their dissatisfaction and accuse UNEB of bias.

Despite the controversy, some educators believe the focus should shift towards improving teaching methods rather than blaming the examination body. Anthony Kato Sentongo, headteacher of Global Junior School Mukono, emphasized that schools should move beyond just chasing high grades. He said, “In the past, teachers used to tell us exactly what to answer if asked a question. But teaching has changed. Now, it has to be competence-based.”

Sentongo further stressed that education should not just be about exams but about meaningful learning experiences. “When you are teaching, you must make sure that what you are teaching is immediately impacting the students. You don’t have to wait for the examination to see the results. The exam is just the final product of what you’ve already built.” He explained that assessments should be integrated into the learning process rather than being the sole measure of a child’s education.

Another challenge, according to Sentongo, is that many schools misinterpret the curriculum. “This curriculum is for all of us, but we interpret it differently. Teachers often feel pressure to deliver results, and sometimes that leads to overloading children. We must understand the curriculum in a way that benefits the child, not just our desire for better results.”

Sylvia Okite, Resident Director of Pherry Junior School Mukono, pointed out the importance of reviewing UNEB reports, which highlight the need for students to develop reasoning skills. “In the past, teachers often asked knowledge-based questions, where students could simply repeat what they had been taught. But UNEB’s current focus is on students’ ability to think, analyze, and support their answers.”

She warned that if elite schools fail to adapt to this shift, they will continue to struggle. “The trend UNEB is following is clear: children need to think, analyze, and justify their answers. If schools don’t adapt, they will be left behind.”

Anne Nafula, Deputy Headteacher in charge of Academics at Cornerstone Junior School-Mukono, urged schools to embrace more student-centered learning approaches. She suggested, “Instead of complaining about results, schools should focus on enabling children to stand before their peers, explain a concept, and share what they’ve learned. This builds confidence and mastery.”

She also highlighted that some teachers do not fully follow the curriculum, which can affect students’ learning outcomes. “Sometimes teachers don’t fully follow the curriculum, which can hinder learning. We must also be mindful during evaluation, ensuring we assess students’ ability to think critically.”

As the debate continues, it remains clear that improving education requires more than just achieving high grades. Schools must adapt to new teaching methods that prioritize competency-based learning over rote memorization to ensure students succeed in both examinations and real-world applications.