NCHE Reviews 700 University Programmes as Uganda Shifts to Competence-Based Education

What the report says

Uganda’s National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has started reviewing about 700 university programmes as the country prepares to move further toward competence-based higher education. According to Nile Post, the exercise is part of a wider effort to redesign curricula around practical skills, workplace learning and newer technologies, with the aim of better matching graduate training to labour-market needs and national development priorities.

Dr Vincent Ssembatya, NCHE’s director of quality assurance and accreditation, said the programmes were submitted after institutions were instructed last year to update their offerings before admitting students completing Senior Six. He said NCHE first developed competence-based education standards, had them approved in January, and then trained institutional staff in regional workshops on how to revise programmes. The regulator is using academic experts to assess whether the new submissions meet the required standards.

The review will look at programme goals, teaching methods, assessment, learning materials, laboratories, equipment and staffing, and NCHE may also inspect institutions where needed. The reforms are expected to require students to take part in work-integrated learning, keep learning portfolios and complete capstone projects before graduation. Officials said existing degrees will not be abruptly removed, though some programmes could be phased out later if they no longer fit national needs or technological change.

University lecturer Prof. Edward Ssemakula welcomed the shift, saying it could help produce graduates who can apply knowledge in practical settings. The article also notes that fields such as artificial intelligence, nanotechnology and semiconductors may drive demand for new programmes as Uganda aligns higher education with emerging economic priorities.