However, addressing concerns over fees, the Church of Uganda spokesperson Sadiiki Adams clarified that the mock examinations for Church-founded schools are completely free of charge.
The Church of Uganda has embarked on conducting mock examinations in all its primary and secondary schools across the country.
According to the Directorate of Education Services provincial secretariat, the examinations are part of the efforts to improve learners’ academic performance
“The initiative is aimed at improving learners’ academic performance, competence, and familiarity with the revised national curriculum and its new examination format,” reads the statement released by the church.
The examinations are administered by the Provincial Examination Agency, an entity established in 2023 by the Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu.
Eyaakava ku Kyeyo Yeesazeesaze Ng’ayagala Okwetta N’asattiza Ekyalo
The agency was created to complement diocesan efforts by producing high-quality assessments aimed at monitoring student progress, providing constructive feedback, and guiding classroom instruction.
The Church of Uganda is one of the largest founders of educational institutions, both public and private, in the country. According to data published on the Ministry of Education’s website, as of 2017, the Church of Uganda owned over 26 percent of all primary schools in Uganda, translating into 5,186 schools, the majority of which are government-funded under the Universal Primary Education (UPE) program.
The Church has also established a significant number of secondary schools and continues to play a major role in providing post-primary education. However, the exact number of Church-founded secondary schools is not explicitly stated in reports.
URN understands that the examinations kicked off on Monday, with the distribution of papers for various subjects to dioceses still ongoing.
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However, the Church’s decision to conduct mock exams leaves concerns that it may contradict government directives. Over the years, the Ministry of Education has discouraged schools from conducting external mock examinations, arguing that they promote rote learning and make education overly examination-oriented.
A review of records shows that between 2020 and 2023, the Ministry of Education, through several officials, including the Minister, Janet Kataaha Museveni, repeatedly warned schools against administering external mock examinations. However, critics note that these warnings have largely amounted to lip service, with little concrete action taken.
The revised lower secondary curriculum was specifically designed to address the problem of drilling learners for exams and to ease the pressure associated with high-stakes assessments such as UNEB finals and external mocks. Yet, as implementation of the new curriculum progresses, old examination practices appear to be resurfacing.
Alex Kagimu, a parent from Wakiso, observed that students continue to be drilled intensively for mock exams starting from the second half of the second term, all the way to final examinations.
“We thought the new curriculum would solve this problem, but it’s more of the same. Students are doing one mock exam after another,” said Alex Kagimu. “Here in Wakiso, we already have Wakisha, then others from different associations, and now you’re saying the Church of Uganda is introducing theirs. By the nature of our schools, even non-Church schools will feel compelled to do it. Next year, you’ll see the Muslims introducing theirs too.”
Kagimu also raised concerns over the high fees often associated with such examinations. He noted that schools usually pass the costs of these external mocks on to parents, further burdening families financially. For instance, records from Wakiso indicate that the UCE mock examinations package costs about 400,000 shillings, while UACE (both Arts and Sciences) mocks cost around 300,000 shillings.
“These examinations always come at a price,” he lamented. “Schools demand a lot of money from parents just to let students sit them. Sometimes this money is embedded in school fees.”
However, addressing concerns over fees, the Church of Uganda spokesperson Sadiiki Adams clarified that the mock examinations for Church-founded schools are completely free of charge.
“We want to assure parents that these mock examinations are entirely free for all learners in Church of Uganda schools,” the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, while speaking at the launch of the examinations at the Namirembe, Canon John Tereraho, the Provincial Head of Laity and a seasoned educationist, criticised the high-stakes examination environment, especially during PLE, UCE, and UACE periods, where both parents and students endure sleepless nights.
“Parents are now like students—doing homework and staying up all night. Education should sharpen children like arrows to tackle future challenges,” he added.
In the same breath, Canon Tereraho commended the Church of Uganda for its decision to roll out mock examinations across all regions, saying the initiative will help identify region-specific academic challenges and address them effectively.
He used the same platform to speak about what he described as an “intellectual genocide” affecting children with diverse needs, citing persistent poor learning outcomes over the years, as documented in various government and NGO reports. He emphasised that urgent measures must be taken to address the situation.