knowledge-centered to skills-oriented learning, explicitly advocating for learner-centered approaches that promote critical thinking and higher-order cognitive skills. Objective: This study critically analyzed the extent to which Uganda's CBC fosters critical thinking through integration of the "why" question versus emphasizing practical competency development, assessing the balance between producing critical thinkers and efficient doers in curriculum design, instructional practices, and assessment mechanisms. Methods: A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed across 45 purposively selected schools in urban, peri-urban, and rural settings. The quantitative phase involved 268 teachers completing validated questionnaires (Cronbach's α=0.87) assessing pedagogical practices and 1,340 students completing Critical Thinking Disposition Inventories and Competency Performance Assessments. Results: Document analysis revealed task-oriented instructions outnumbered critical thinking prompts by 1:3.7 across all curriculum materials (χ²=4372.89, p