The head of research and service development at the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), Rebecca Mayanja Mpaata, has advised secondary school and university students to seek sponsorship for technological innovations they develop, in order to contribute to Uganda’s digital transformation agenda under Vision 2040 and the National Development Plan (NDP) IV.
Speaking at the central region interschool competition, a pre-event activity of the ninth National Conference on Communications (NCC), hosted at Isbat University in Kampala on September 29, Ms Mayanja, who represented Christine Mugimba, the head of ICT and research at UCC, encouraged students to create frameworks that would allow their innovations to reach commercialisation. She warned that without such strategies, their ideas risk being taken over by foreign entities that would profit from them.
‘Don’t give up on ideas and innovations you have because they cannot be done by one person. We need a number of partners to have these innovations come to light. You [secondary and university students] come up with vibrant ideas but it stops there. When you have different entities coming together to see what’s being done, there’s an opportunity for different parties to find a role to play to bring the innovation to life,’ Ms Mayanja said.
Organised by UCC, the competition showcased innovative, science-based projects from 17 secondary schools across the central region. Trinity College Nabbingo emerged as the winner and will represent the region at the national stage of the NCC 2025, set for October 2 and 3 at the ICT exhibition in Nakawa.
The NCC, which started in 2010, was designed to bring together academia and industry players to collaborate on solutions to pressing community challenges such as unemployment. Over the years, universities including Makerere, Ndejje, and Kyambogo have hosted central region editions of the conference. The platform not only allows secondary school students to showcase their ideas but also helps the technology and innovation industry identify solutions being developed to address Uganda’s challenges.
Pradeep Kumaar, the director of academic affairs at Isbat University, said the conference is meant to instill advanced scientific thinking, promote technological mindset change, and help students align with the country’s development goals.
‘The government makes plans but national development requires that planning should be executed. The execution should be analysed to see the results and outcomes to be implemented for continuous improvement. It is where there needs to be a linkage between ICT clubs in schools, universities, corporates, and industries so that innovations are nurtured at the grassroots. Youth in Uganda are intelligent but need support,’ Mr Kumaar said.
The winners from each region will exhibit their innovations at the ICT hub in Nakawa during the October 2-3 national conference. The event aligns with Vision 2040, which recognises digital transformation through innovation as a cornerstone of national development.