Overview:
His comments follow the strong performance of learners with special needs in the UCE exams, where 695 of 708 registered candidates representing 98.2 percent qualified for certificates and are eligible to progress to the next level of education.
Dr. Patrick Ojok, Senior Lecturer and Dean of Special Needs and Rehabilitation at Kyambogo University, has praised the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) for better supporting learners with special needs.
His comments follow the strong performance of learners with special needs in the UCE exams, where 695 of 708 registered candidates representing 98.2 percent qualified for certificates and are eligible to progress to the next level of education.
According to Ojok, the performance reflects years of observation that the old assessment and teaching system did not favour learners with special needs. He added that, given the efforts under the new curriculum, these results should come as no surprise.
”Candidates with disabilities, like candidates without disabilities, are capable of better performance, so this year’s exceptional results must surprise us,” he said, adding that stronger results will continue once teachers fully master competency-based teaching and assessment.
Dr Ojok added that the shift from marks to competencies gives learners with disabilities space to demonstrate ability through different approaches.
He further singled out learners with hearing impairments, whose performance has declined for years. According to the Uganda National Examinations Board, 60 candidates with hearing impairments registered for UCE. Fifty-eight passed. Two failed to qualify due to absence.
For years, teachers have linked poor outcomes among hearing-impaired learners to curricula and assessment methods that ignore diverse learning needs and place such learners at a disadvantage.
In a recent interview, Esther Kyozira, Chief Executive Officer of the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda, told URN that the absence of disability-responsive curricula and assessments exposes learners with disabilities to standardized tests that fail to measure knowledge, skills, and competencies accurately.
“The absence of disability-tailored assessments means that students with disabilities frequently face standardized tests that may not accurately reflect their knowledge and skills. This situation exacerbates the pre-existing educational disparities and raises serious concerns about the fairness and inclusivity of Uganda’s education system,” said Kyozira.
Reflecting on the performance since the introduction of the competency-based curriculum, which places a stronger focus on individual learner needs, UNEB Executive Director Dan Odongo agreed that the previous system disadvantaged learners with special needs.
Odongo, however, noted that the examination board has worked for years to make national examinations more inclusive and to provide appropriate accommodations for such learners. He added that these efforts, combined with changes in curriculum and teaching approaches, now present a clearer picture of the true abilities of SNE candidates.
Although Dr. Patrick Ojok applauded Uganda National Examinations Board for highlighting the performance of candidates with disabilities, he said reporting still needs improvement. He said the visibility of SNE candidates affirms disability as a valid category of analysis.
Ojok criticized the use of medical model language instead of person-first language. Terms such as physical handicap, epileptics, stutterers, and dyslexics place focus on diagnosis rather than the learner. He urged the adoption of respectful language in official reports.
Ojok also questioned the limited disability categories listed by UNEB, noting the risk of excluding learners whose needs remain unreported or unsupported.
Commenting on the categories, Odongo said UNEB accepts all disability categories. Odongo added many schools, and parents fail to report some categories, which complicates identification. However, he added that UNEB plans efforts to improve identification and reporting across schools.
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