HOIMA CITY! Educators welome Government's Decision to Okay Use Mobile Devices At School

HOIMA, UGANDA! A group of educators and school owners in Hoima City has expressed support for the government's decision to permit students to utilize mobile devices, including mobile phones, in educational settings from primary upto secondary under strict supervision. They believe this initiative will promote comprehensive learning. 

This announcement was initially endorsed by various national stakeholders recently as revealed by the Minister of Education and Sports, Ms. Janet Museveni, during the launch of the Ministry's Digital Agenda Strategy in Kampala.

In a separate interview with several educators in the city, concerns were raised regarding the financial burden of acquiring these devices, which may add to the already high costs of school supplies and fees for parents and guardians.

 Caroline Nyamahunge, the Hoima City inspector of schools, noted that the official introduction of mobile device usage in schools has not yet occurred, but she welcomes the initiative. She urged the government to develop strategies that would enable teachers to effectively integrate digital tools, as they will be responsible for overseeing the program. Nyamahunge further emphasized the necessity of regulating these devices to achieve their intended educational benefits and highlighted the importance of training teachers for effective engagement.

"Before the government announces any initiative or plan, it typically has a detailed strategy for implementation. Therefore, parents and teachers must be prepared to adopt technology, despite limited resources, as digitalization is essential in today's world," she stated.

On her side, Amato Nyendwoha, the head teacher of St. Peters High School, expressed cautious support for the initiative, questioning how the government will manage the use of these devices, particularly mobile phones, which can expose students to uncontrolled content. He mentioned that their school had previously attempted to allow phone usage, but students struggled to focus due to distractions from inappropriate material.

Jackson Wabyoona, the proprietor of Central Schools, affirmed that the integration of mobile devices is essential in this digital age.

In this new development, Ministry will need approximately 1.3 trillion shillings over the next seven years to implement the digital agenda. This translates to an estimated annual expenditure of 187.214 billion to meet the initiative’s objectives.

Of the annual budget, 1.19 billion is earmarked for the production and access to localized digital content, curriculum development, e-learning, and teacher training in technology-mediated teaching methods.

Additionally, 185.9 billion will be invested each year to improve access to digital services and connectivity infrastructure.

Uganda has attempted various ICT initiatives in education, most of which have not succeeded. However, the closure of traditional classrooms due to COVID-19 for over two years prompted many schools, especially private and urban ones, to rapidly adopt tech-led learning.