Teachers’ Commitment and Learning Resources Availability as Predictors of Students’ Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Kasese District, Uganda: A Policy Brief

Background Students’ academic performance in public secondary schools remains a major education policy concern in Uganda, particularly in districts where schools face shortages of learning resources and challenges that affect teachers’ capacity to support learning. This policy brief examines teachers’ commitment and the availability of learning resources as predictors of students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Kasese District, Uganda. Policy and implications The brief draws on evidence from a convergent parallel mixed-methods study conducted in eight public secondary schools involving head teachers, teachers and Senior Four students. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis, while qualitative evidence was obtained through head-teacher interviews and student focus group discussions. The combined regression model was statistically significant and explained 28.6% of the variation in students’ academic performance (R = .535, R 2 = .286, adjusted R 2 = .235, F = 5.519, p = .001). School leadership was the strongest positive independent predictor (β = .519, p = .002), while learning resources also showed a significant positive contribution (β = .385, p < .001). Work environment and job satisfaction showed positive bivariate relationships with academic performance but were not independently significant in the combined model. Professional training had a significant negative coefficient in the combined model (β = −.322, p = .043), which should not be interpreted as evidence that teacher training is harmful; rather, it suggests possible contextual, overlap or quality-related effects requiring further investigation. Recommendations Education authorities should strengthen instructional school leadership, improve the availability and equitable distribution of learning resources, and redesign professional development towards practical, continuous, and curriculum-relevant support. Schools should also strengthen teacher support systems and use school-level evidence to identify and address barriers to learning. Conclusions Improving academic performance in Kasese requires an integrated approach that combines effective leadership, adequate learning resources and meaningful teacher support rather than relying on teacher commitment alone.