Uganda recently celebrated a nearly 100% pass rate for its national secondary school exams. This impressive result, with almost all candidates receiving certificates, was widely hailed as a triumph for the country’s new education approach and proof that reforms are working.
However, beneath this widely celebrated achievement lies a worrying truth about the state of primary education.
Consider this: more than one in five, or 23.2%, of children completing their final year of primary school in Uganda cannot read at a level expected of a seven-year-old. Imagine: after spending seven years in school, nearly a quarter of these children struggle with basic reading skills that a second-grader should master.
Even more alarming is the trend. Just four years ago, in 2021, the number of primary school leavers unable to read basic English was 11.3%. This means that in a short period, and despite introducing new education policies, the problem has more than doubled. While we celebrate high exam passes, our youngest students are falling significantly further behind in a crucial skill.
How can Uganda achieve such a high pass rate for secondary school exams while so many primary school children cannot read?
The issue isn’t fraud or data errors. Instead, it points to a more fundamental problem: we are focusing on the wrong measures of success and calling it progress.
The new national exam system is designed to be inclusive. To pass and get a certificate, students only need to achieve a “Basic” level in their subjects. This means they don’t need to be satisfactory or outstanding; a foundational understanding is enough to earn a pass.
While aiming for inclusivity is a legitimate goal, setting the pass bar so low means that the high exam rate might not truly reflect strong academic achievement. It allows many students to move forward without mastering essential skills, like reading. When we celebrate these numbers, we risk overlooking the urgent need to address the basic literacy crisis affecting a significant portion of our primary school children. We are celebrating the wrong success, while the real challenges continue to grow bigger.