Ugandan pupils to study for max 3 hours per day under new primary curriculum

What the report says

Uganda’s National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) says pupils in lower primary could spend no more than three hours a day in structured learning under a new competency-based curriculum expected to begin in 2028, according to The Observer. Dr Patrice Ssembirige, the acting NCDC director, said the approach is being designed around the developmental needs of young children rather than the longer school days often used in older grades.

The proposal sets different time limits by age: children aged three to four would have up to two hours of structured learning, those aged four to five about two to three hours, and those aged five to six around three hours. The curriculum is expected to emphasize physical, cognitive, language, social and emotional development, with learning broken into short sessions. NCDC said it is still consulting teachers and other stakeholders and reviewing early childhood materials before rollout.

The planned lower primary changes are part of a wider shift in Uganda toward competency-based education, which aims to move away from rote memorization and toward practical skills, creativity and problem-solving. The article notes that Uganda introduced competency-based learning at lower secondary in 2020, while A-level reforms are still being drafted and tested in selected schools. NCDC officials say implementation depends not only on the curriculum itself but also on teachers, parents and communities adapting to new roles.