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


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
Metropolitan Journal of Academic and Applied Research

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 →
32
The Epistemic Paradox: A Systematic Review of Knowing, Not Knowing, and the Perils of Little Knowledge
Dr Arinaitwe Julius
epistemic paradox metacognition Dunning–Kruger effect overconfidence
33
The Expectation Gap and the Erosion of Trust: How Mismatched Government and Citizen Expectations Have Undermined Governance in Uganda
Dr. Arinaitwe Julius, Dr. Twinomujuni Rosebell, Asiimwe Isaac Kazaara
Expectation Gap Trust Erosion Governance Uganda
35
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Job Market among Youths in Lubaga Division, Kampala, Uganda
Nambayo Janefer, Irumba Alex
Artificial intelligence; job market; youth employment; automation; digital skills; skills divide;