Rubanda West Member of Parliament Bruce Kabaasa Baraba has called on government to reform and strengthen Uganda’s education system in order to improve learning outcomes and reduce school dropout rates.
Kabaasa made the remarks on Thursday while addressing guests at the swearing-in ceremony of Kabale Municipality leaders held at Kabale Main Stadium in Central Division.
He said that despite government interventions to expand access to education, a significant number of Ugandan children still fail to complete their studies, which he described as a major obstacle to social and economic development.
He argued that the current structure of the education system, particularly at the primary level, does not adequately support learners to perform well by the end of the cycle.
According to him, many pupils struggle because the system places too much emphasis on national examinations rather than practical understanding and continuous learning.
Kabaasa also said government should restructure the system starting from lower primary classes to better accommodate learners from different backgrounds and abilities. He added that the current examination model disadvantages pupils, especially those in rural schools, because assessments are centrally set without fully considering local learning environments and challenges.
“I propose localising parts of the assessment process by giving teachers who interact with pupils daily a bigger role in preparing and marking examinations. Teachers better understand the strengths, weaknesses, and capacities of their students compared to centralised examination bodies,” Kabaasa said.
He further emphasised that learners should be assessed on what they have studied and understood in class, rather than being subjected to examinations that may not reflect their classroom experience.
Kabaasa warned that Uganda’s ambition to become a middle-income country could be undermined if the education system is not reformed to produce more skilled and practically competent citizens.
