Journal
Metropolitan Journal of Academic and Applied Research
MJAAR
Competency-Based Curriculum Assessment Reform and Learning Outcome Disparities Across Urban-Rural Schools: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study
Dr. Arinaitwe Julius, Musiimenta Nancy, Akampurira Sarah
| Journal | Metropolitan Journal of Academic and Applied Research (MJAAR) |
| Volume / Issue | Vol. 5, No. 7 |
| Published | 31 July 2026 |
| ISSN | 3006-6417 |
Abstract
This study examined disparities in learning outcomes attributable to the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) assessment reform across urban and rural primary schools. Guided by a comparative cross- sectional design, the study was informed by human capital and equity-in-education frameworks and sought to establish the extent to which school locality, teacher CBC training, school resourcing, socioeconomic status, and parental involvement predicted learners' attainment of competency proficiency. A structured assessment and school- characteristics questionnaire was administered to a sample of 700 upper-primary learners and their corresponding class teachers drawn from purposively selected urban (n=320) and rural (n=380) schools, using a multistage stratified random sampling procedure. Data were analysed in Stata using univariate frequency distributions, bivariate chi-square tests of association and independent-samples t-tests/one-way ANOVA, and a multivariable binary logistic regression model to identify independent predictors of competency proficiency while controlling for confounding. Findings indicated a substantial urban-rural gap in mean CBC assessment scores (84.7% versus 66.2%, p<0.001) and in the proportion of learners attaining proficiency (99.1% versus 69.2%, p<0.001). Bivariate analysis confirmed significant associations between locality and teacher training status, socioeconomic status, and parental involvement (all p<0.001). In the adjusted multivariable model, teacher CBC training (AOR=5.77, 95% CI: 3.13-10.62), school resource index (AOR=1.49, 95% CI: 1.26-1.76), high socioeconomic status (AOR=16.12, 95% CI: 4.87-53.33), and parental involvement (AOR ranging 7.23-7.93) emerged as independent predictors of proficiency, whereas urban locality itself was attenuated to marginal significance (AOR=3.55, 95% CI: 0.89-14.15, p=0.072) once these structural factors were controlled for, and larger class size independently reduced the odds of proficiency (AOR=0.95, p=0.001). The study concludes that urban-rural learning outcome disparities under CBC are substantially mediated by inequities in teacher training, school resourcing, class size, and household-level socioeconomic and parental support factors
Cite This Article
Dr. Arinaitwe Julius, Musiimenta Nancy & Akampurira Sarah (2026). Competency-Based Curriculum Assessment Reform and Learning Outcome Disparities Across Urban-Rural Schools: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study. Metropolitan Journal of Academic and Applied Research, 5(7). https://journals.miu.ac.ug/pages/article.php?article_id=688
More in This Issue
View full issue →
21
Resource Disparities and Their Effect on Competency-Based Curriculum Implementation in Refugee-Hosting Districts: A Quantitative Cross-Sectional Study Of Selected Refugee-Hosting Districts of Uganda
Resource disparities; Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC); curriculum implementation; refugee-
22
Skills Mismatch Between TVET/University Output and Labor Market Demand: An Ordinal Logistic Regression Analysis
Skills mismatch; TVET; university graduates; labor market; ordinal logistic regression;
23
Social Media And Mental Health: A Case Of Nsambya Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
Social media
mental health
anxiety
depression
24
Stakeholder Perceptions Of NCDC’s Curriculum Alignment For A-Level Under The New Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) Framework
National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC); Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC); A-