![](media/image1.jpeg){width="1.3645833333333333in"
height="0.8638888888888889in"} **UGANDA**
![](media/image2.png){width="1.2083333333333333in" height="0.75in"}

**[Educational System]{.underline}**

The existing structure of the education system in Uganda has been in
force since the early 1960s. The Ugandan Education system follows a
fairly similar pattern to that in Britain. The Ugandan education system
consists of seven years of primary education, followed by a lower
secondary cycle of four years (Ordinary level or the O' levels) and an
upper secondary cycle of two years (Advanced level or the A' levels),
after which there are three to five years of university studies. The
Ministry of Education and Sports is responsible for overseeing the
running of all private and public academic institutions in the country.

The Ugandan school year starts in February and finishes in December. The
first term runs from February to April, the second term from May until
early August, and the third term from September to December. The Ugandan
school system is very competitive. There are so many children who want
an education, that schools all over the country are able to pick and
choose the best students in order to improve their grade average and
national standing. Testing is relentless for students, as every term
they have to take exams as well as having ongoing assessments of their
performance; based on their results they are given a grade and a
position in their class. If the child is successful, they can move in to
the next class in the New Year. However, if their performance is poor
they may have to repeat the school year again. The Ministry of Education
is pushing for automatic promotion, amidst resentment from teachers and
head teachers.

**PRIMARY EDUCATION: Primary 1 - Primary 7**

The demand for primary education has radically increased with the
introduction in 1997 of universal primary education (UPE) or free
primary education. This has seen school enrolment increase by over 60%
in the last 10 years. There are variations, however, between urban and
rural areas with the former having more permanent schools and better
teaching and instructional materials than the latter.

Children in Uganda enter primary schools at the age of six or seven
years of age. Primary students are examined in four main subjects,
mainly: English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. Other subjects
on the curriculum that are not examinable include Swahili, Agriculture,
Religious Studies, French, Luganda, Integrated Productive Skills, Music
and Creative Art. Upon successful completion of the Uganda Primary
Leaving Examinations (PLE) candidates are awarded the Uganda Primary
Leaving Certificate of Education.

**LOWER SECONDARY (O' LEVEL): Senior 1 - Senior 4**

This sector has witnessed a growth of over 20 percent in the number of
government-aided secondary schools over the last 10 years and a 15%
increase in the number of registered private secondary schools over the
same period. Still the sector is yet to attain the necessary capacity to
cope with the large number of primary school leavers. Universal
Secondary Education (USE) was recently introduced in select schools.

Students in Lower Secondary schools are expected to study both science
and arts subjects and are examined in a maximum of 10 subjects of which
Mathematics, English, Geography, Biology, Physics and Chemistry are the
core and compulsory subjects. Students are expected to select four
optional subjects which may include: Commerce, Literature, Divinity,
Islamic Studies, History, Political Education, German, French, Luganda,
Swahili, Agriculture, Fine Art, Home Management, Additional Mathematics
and Accounting.

Primary and Lower Secondary exam scores are indicated by a numerical
grade, of which Grade 1 is the highest and Grade 9 the lowest. **Highest
on scale:** A 1, **Pass/Fail level:** 7-8, **Lowest on scale:** F 9:

**[Grades 1 and 2 \-- "Distinctions" (Very Good)]{.underline}**

**[Grades 3, 4, 5, and 6 \-- "Pass with Credit" (Good)]{.underline}**

**[Grades 7 and 8 \-- "Subject Pass" (Fair)]{.underline}**

**[Grade 9 -- Fail]{.underline}**

The word SUPPLEMENTARY on the certificate indicates that the candidate
sat for the examination on a second or subsequent occasion. Successful
candidates for the UCE are classified as follows:

**Division One**: Five credits including a language subject (English)
and Mathematics, Subject Pass or Pass with Credit in at least one
subject, and an aggregate grade for the best six subjects not exceeding
23.

  **Division Two**: Four Passes with Credit and two Subject Passes
(including a language subject) with an aggregate grade for the best six
subjects not exceeding 33.

  **Division Three**: Either one Pass with Credit and five Subject
Passes or two Passes with Credit and three Subject Passes and an
aggregate grade for the best six subjects not exceeding 44.

  **Division Four**: Either one Pass with Credit, at least two Passes at
Grade 7, or three Passes at Grade 8, and an aggregate grade for the best
six subjects not exceeding 52.

**UPPER SECONDARY (A' LEVEL): Senior 5 - Senior 6**

Students in the Upper Secondary level select four Principal subjects (in
either Sciences or the Arts). Subjects may be taken as Principal
subjects (a "major") or Subsidiary subjects (a "minor").

-   General Paper, basically an English exam, is a compulsory Subsidiary
    subject. To graduate, students must receive at least one "Principal
    Pass" (Grade A-E) and at least one "Subsidiary Pass" (Grade O) among
    their four Principal subject exams.

-   Passing grades in the Uganda Advanced Certificate are indicated by
    the letters A, B, C, D, or E. Grade A is the highest passing grade,
    Grade E is the lowest. These are called Principal Passing grades. O
    indicates a subsidiary pass while F indicates Fail. Candidates need
    a minimum of two Principal Passing grades of D or higher to qualify
    for university. The General Paper is awarded on a scale of 1 to 9,
    where 1 is the highest point and 9 is a Fail.

-   The Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) is awarded to
    candidates who have successfully completed the Uganda Advanced Level
    examinations.

**POST SECONDARY EDUCATION**

Higher education is provided by universities, both public and private, a
polytechnic, teachers\' colleges and technical colleges. It is regulated
by the Uganda National Council of Science and Technology (UNSCT), the
body responsible for supporting scientific and academic research.
Although 9,000-12,000 students per year leave school qualified to go on
to higher education, only some 25% of them are able to find places at
the limited number of institutions. Makerere University in Kampala
accepts some 95% of the total student population in Uganda's
universities.

**[Useful Addresses:]{.underline}**

Ministry of Education and Sports Uganda National Education Support
Center

Tel: (256) 414-234451/4 Tel: (256) 414-897653

Fax: (256) 414-234920 Fax: (256) 414-789990

Email: <pro@education.go.ug> Email: *Use contact form on website*

Website:
[[www.education.go.ug]{.underline}](http://www.education.go.ug/)
Website: [www.unesc.go.ug](http://www.unesc.go.ug/)

Uganda National Examination Board National Curriculum Development Center

Tel: (256) 414-286635/6/7/8 Tel: (256) 414-286170

Fax: (256) 414-289397 Fax: (256) 414-286145

Email: <uneb@uneb.ac.ug> Email: <admin@ncdc.go.ug>

Website: [www.uneb.ac.ug/](http://www.uneb.ac.ug/) Website:
[[www.ncdc.go.ug]{.underline}](http://www.ncdc.go.ug/)

National Council for Higher Education Uganda National Council of Science
and Technology

Tel: (256) 312-262140/4 Tel: (256) 414-250 499

Fax: (256) 312-262145 Fax: (256) 414-234 579

Email: <nche@infocom.co.ug> Email: *Use contact form on website*

Website: [www.unche.or.ug](http://www.unche.or.ug/) Website:
[www.uncst.go.ug](http://www.uncst.go.ug/)

In regards to standardized testing for U.S. university admission, the
SAT is offered five times annually at the International School of
Uganda, Kampala. There is also one testing center each for the GMAT and
the GRE, and two testing centers for TOEFL.

**The Educational Advisor USAP Coordinator**\
Connie Mutazindwa Mukami M. Macharia\
Tel: 256-414-306315 Tel: 256-414-306098\
Fax: 256-414-250314 Fax: 256-414-250314\
Email:
[[MutazindwaCB@state.gov]{.underline}](mailto:MutazindwaCB@state.gov)
Email: <MachariaMM@state.gov>

Email: <KampalaEducation@state.gov> <http://usapglobal.org/uganda/>

We look forward to working with you in increasing Ugandan student
enrollment in your institution. We would appreciate brochures, copies of
your catalogue, view book, video and CD-ROM, mailed to:

Educational Advisor

U.S. Embassy UGANDA

Public Affairs Section

2190 Kampala Place

Dulles, VA 20189