By Mulengera Reporters
Airtel Uganda, in partnership with UNICEF Uganda, has connected the 130th school to high-speed internet as part of their ongoing digital learning initiative. This milestone is part of a broader effort to provide digital access to 200,000 in-school and out-of-school learners across Uganda.
The 130th school was connected to fast internet during the second commemoration of the UNESCO International Day of Digital Learning, held under the theme “Digital Learning Realities in Low-Resourced Contexts.”
The event took place at Kasengejje Secondary School in Wakiso District, which received a donation of computers. It was officiated by the Under secretary in the Ministry of Education and Sports Jane Egau Okou representing the Minister and First Lady.
The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Kataaha Museveni, has commended Airtel Uganda and UNICEF for choosing to celebrate the International Day of Digital Learning at Kasengejje Secondary School, a government-aided institution.
In a message delivered by Commissioner Egau, the minister acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic had transformed education from traditional methods to online learning. She emphasized the importance of embracing new technology while remaining vigilant about potential challenges.
“Digital learning became a key means of educational instruction ever since the globe faced the first COVID-19 pandemic, which challenged people all over the world to rethink and adapt to a shift from traditional education to online learning. This shift remains with us today, and we must therefore engage new technology while being cautious and diligent in assessing the challenges we may encounter and also taking into consideration the most practical measures to regulate its use,” she stated.
Janet Museveni praised Airtel Uganda for enhancing internet connectivity in schools across the country, noting that this has enabled learners, especially those in remote areas, to continue their studies even during the pandemic.
“Their efforts, and in particular their tailor-made products such as ‘Learn from Home,’ which we have just heard about, and the bundles they have provided, have enabled learners to continue their studies during the lockdown period that significantly affected students countrywide,” she said.
She further appreciated Airtel and UNICEF for connecting 130 schools, reaching 42,000 learners and 1,800 teachers. “This has greatly impacted our teachers’ methods of engaging learners and ultimately enhanced the learning process in the beneficiary schools,” she added.
Airtel Uganda’s Managing Director, Soumendra Sahu, emphasized the importance of digital learning, stating that no child in a household with a smartphone should fail to complete homework.
“This network is important for breaking barriers to equitable education and giving undeniable opportunities to children to grow to their full potential,” he said.
Sahu reiterated Airtel’s commitment to supporting teachers by ensuring access to modern online resources for more effective teaching.
“We are creating this potential at schools to ensure teachers can access modern online resources to deliver brilliant, life-changing lessons to our learners. We are honored to contribute to Uganda’s Education Digital Agenda and are committed to leveraging our extensive, robust 4G+5G network to transform learning experiences for young people across the nation,” he added.
Thomas Meyerer, Deputy Representative for Operations at UNICEF, highlighted the collaboration between Airtel Uganda, UNICEF, and the government in improving ICT infrastructure and providing learning resources for students and teachers.
“Through this partnership, with the support of the Ministry of Education and Sports, we have successfully connected 129 schools to the internet, impacting 45,150 learners and 1,030 teachers,” Meyerer said.
He further announced that with the connection of the 130th school, efforts are underway to connect an additional 70 schools before the end of the academic term. He urged students and teachers to make good use of the resources provided.
Kasengejje Secondary School Headteacher, Sulaiman Kakande, expressed gratitude to Airtel and UNICEF for their donation of computers and internet access, noting that it would significantly improve ICT education at the school.
“We had only six computers, but with this donation, we expect to have a larger number of students offering ICT, which will enable them to compete with the outside world,” he said.
Since the launch of their collaboration in September 2022, Airtel Uganda and UNICEF have successfully connected and equipped 120 primary and secondary schools with internet access. The latest announcement confirms plans to connect an additional 70 schools and youth community centers by June 2025, bringing the total to 200 schools nationwide. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
