Information and Communication Technologyin Secondary Schools of Uganda:
Examining the Trends and Hurdles

April,21

Thursday
16:30-18:00

BY Dr. Ndawula Stephen

CICE, Hiroshima University

Abstract

Uganda is one of the developing countries located in East Africa. In Uganda generally children joinsecondary schools between the age of 12 and 16 years and finish between 16 to 18 years. Uganda
Secondary Education is composed of four years (O. Level) and two years of advanced level (A. Level)
education. Efforts have been made to introduce ICT in secondary schools of Uganda so as to equiplearners with the necessary skills and tools. Though Educational ICT plays a crucial part of the school
curriculum, in Uganda the adoption level is still low at secondary schools.
There are also variations from school to school in terms of scope and depth, content coverage, timing, useof materials and resources. This paper explores the concept of educational ICT, progress and setbacks insecondary schools of Uganda.

At CICEInternationalSeminar RoomIDEC 6F

Anyone Welcome!! どなたでも聴講できます【Contact us/問い合わせ先】
Center for the Study of International Cooperation in Education(CICE: 教育開発国際協力研究センター）

Email:cice@hiroshima-u.ac.jp / TEL:082-424-6247

INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATIONTECHNOLOGY IN SECONDARYSCHOOLS
OF UGANDA:
EXAMINING THE
TRENDS AND HURDLES
By
Ndawula Stephen (PhD)
Lecturer of Educational Technology, Kyambogo
University Uganda East Africa
Visiting Professor (CICE), Hiroshima University

Location of Uganda

Secondary Education inUganda: An overview
Introduction of Secondary
Education in Uganda
 Secondary Education and thecolonial government
 Secondary Education of the newly
independent UgandaThe concept of ICT ineducation
What is ICT?
Information and communication technology(ICT) is defined as a diverse set oftechnological tools and resources used tocommunicate, and to create, disseminate,
store, and manage information (Blurton, 2002).
 ICT in Education
A situation where ICT is in operation for
educational purposes (Chan, 2002).
TRENDS IN ICT EDUCATIONIN UGANDA (SecondarySchools)
The birth of ICT policies in Uganda wasin (1998)
 Uganda ICT Policy and Secondaryschools
 Educational Sector ICT Policy
ICT in the CurriculumUganda
The three main dimensions ofthe ICT curriculum in Uganda
ICT as an academic subject
 ICT as a teaching and learning tool.
 ICT increase productivity,efficiency and effectiveness of
secondary school management
system.
The ICT curriculum inUganda

The three main dimensions of
ICT curriculum in Uganda

ICT as an academicsubject
ICT as a teaching andlearning tool.
ICT for effective
school management
system.

The ICT Teaching Syllabus
in Uganda
The ICT teaching syllabus has beendeveloped by the NCDC (Computer Studies).
Allocated three (3) periods per week for the12 school weeks in a term from S.1 to S.4.
 A total of 36 periods per term in the school
calendar year (NCDC, 2005).
 The allocation provides both theory andhands-on practice.
 The ICT teacher is responsible for providing
enough resources for practice to the learners
in the given time.
ICT School Staff
Both the government of Uganda and mainly
schools management make arrangements torecruit and manage ICT School Staff.
 Teaching staffs and Non teaching staffs
 Teaching staffs have a major role ofinterpreting the ICT designed by the NCDC,
making schemes of work and lesson plan,
handling IT lesson and assessing students’achievement.
 Non teaching staffs, e.g. the computer lab
technicians, lad attendant and guards.
Common ICT Facilities and Equipment
in Uganda secondary Schools

Source: www.ntareschool

Facilities and Equipment (cont….)
ICT Laboratories
 Classroom PCs
 Speakers
 School servers
 Digital camera Printer Scanner
 Projector
 Television DVD player Radios Tape-recorderMode of Assessment
Continuous assessment:
Practical sessions or exercises, tests, classand student projects, open quizzes, oral
questions and answers and experiments.
 Summative assessment:
Conducted at the end of 4 years of theordinary level of education by UNEB; in two
major papers, with Paper 1(841) theory andpractical Paper 2 (842)Sustainability of ICT in
Secondary Schools of Uganda
The national ICT policy lays emphasis
on providing infrastructure to secondaryschools (Infodev, 2007).
 Student tuition
 Using ‘old’ technologies
 Donors and Projects
Educational ICT Donors and Projects
in Uganda
International Donors
(IDRC)
The World BankUNESCO
UNDPUSAID (Leland Initiative)
The Department for International Development (DFID- UK)
The UN Economic Commission for Africa (Partnerships in ICTs inAfrica- PICTA)European Union (National ICT Infrastructure- NICI)The Swedish International Development Agency (Sida)
Netherlands’ International Institute for Communication andDevelopment (IICD)

Educational ICT Donors and Projects
in Uganda
ICT Projects in Uganda
 SchoolNet Uganda
 School-Based Telecentre (SBT) Project School-Based Telecentre (SBT) Project in VSAT project Content Development at National Teachers
Colleges, Uganda
 Uconnect
 I-Network Project CurriculumNet Uganda

HURDLES TO EDUCATIONAL ICT IN
SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF UGANDALack of computers
 Low income
 Limited Power supply
 Shortage of teaching staff
 Weak support of the school administrationand management
 Gender a major hurdle to utilization
 Socio-Cultural BarriersHURDLES TO EDUCATIONAL ICT IN
SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF UGANDA(Cont….)
Electronic waste crisis
 High student- Computer Ratio Unsteady and sluggish Internet connectivity
 Security /computer viruses
 Limited time for practice school time tables
 Government policy of removing the paymentof institutional
 Current teacher training has notmainstreamed ICT in the curriculumElectronic waste crisis

High student- Computer Ratio
Source: www.kcbudo.sc.ug

Proposed framework for Sustainability & Utilizationof ICT in Secondary Schools of Uganda
nStudents’ Roles·Take rewards & incentives·Leadership e.g. ICT prefects·Involve in group participation; ICTclubs, Information clubs·Provide safety of ICT equipment·Attend classes

Teachers’ Roles·Employ learner centeredness·Lesson preparation·Conducive Tr/Ln relationship·Research·Assign Learners roles·Refresher courses·Organize school Exhibitions·Provide Safety

Parents’ input·Pay tuition promptly·Morale boost·Encourage girl childeducation·Provide ICT materials·Visit classes·Attend Parents’ meetings·Provide advice

Proposed framework forsustainability &Utilization of ICT in
Secondary schools ofUganda

International agents & Donors·Sensitize end-users·Train staff·Improve qty & quantity·Intern’l ICT policies·Monitor ICT education·ICT budgets·Provide ICT funds·Facilities & materials

Government (MICT, MoES; NCDC,UNEB)·Train teachers·Review Curriculum·Deploy teachers·Provide security·Facilities & mat.
·Assessment·Supervise instruction·Provide funds·ICT policies·ICT imports tariffs·Electricity supply

Mgt & Admin·Staff remuneration·Materials & facilities·ICT messages·Monitor ICT lessons·Sensitize parents·Provide security·Organize exhibitions·Inter-Sch visits·Regular assessment

Conclusion

Acknowledgement
Management of Hiroshima University,
Director and the Centre for the Study ofInternational Cooperation in Education(CICE),
Fellow scholars and Staff -CICE,
Graduate students’ body,Ladies and gentlemen,
Kyambogo University Uganda,
The Japanese embassy in Uganda.

Reference
Refer to the handouts