The Elusive Digital Agenda: Challenges and Opportunities in Uganda's Education System

While launching the Education Digital Agenda on August 23, 2024, Education Minister Janet Museveni remarked that the use of laptops, smartphones, tablets, and other ICT devices will be allowed in primary and secondary schools under the strict control of school authorities. She emphasized the monitoring of cybersecurity and configuring devices to block unwanted and harmful content. She acknowledged that while ICTs and the internet provide powerful tools for enhancing education, the government needs to implement clear measures to ensure technology doesn't become a distraction.

This is not a new idea from the Minister, as the ministry has repeatedly fronted plans, policies, and discussions to enhance ICTs in primary and secondary sections since the inception of ICT in the curriculum. However, the failures and delays are significant. What could be the challenge? We can trace it back to 2006 when computer studies were added as a principal subject, with similar grounds of matching up to the digital era. We saw slow progress in the ICT agenda until COVID-19 created urgency and need in 2020.

The Ugandan teaching and learning landscape took a significant turn towards ICTs and distance learning including local radios, TV, Zoom meetings, Discord, YouTube, and Google Classroom. We can blame poverty, rigidity, government policies, poor curriculum, labor market, or other factors, but ultimately, the lack of urgency and prioritization of ICT is the issue. We need technology in the classroom and in every student's and teacher's hands because it is the pen and paper of our time and the lens through which we experience much of the world.

Open Distance eLearning, which refers to a flexible and accessible approach to education that combines:

1. Open learning: resources and materials are openly available
2. Distance learning: students learn remotely, often online
3. eLearning: electronic technologies are used to support learning

ODEL standards aim to ensure quality and effectiveness in online and distance education, focusing on aspects such as:

• Access and equity
• Curriculum and content
• Teaching and learning
• Assessment and evaluation
• Technology and infrastructure
• Student support and services

A 2022 readiness assessment revealed that 65% of teachers in both secondary and primary schools felt uncomfortable integrating technology into their teaching practices and preferred traditional classroom methods. This is also seen in some university courses, where lecturers depict a rudimentary attitude. Philosopher John Dewey remarked, "If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children tomorrow." This means the government must bridge the gap among teachers who are the implementers of this digital agenda. Input by different industry players like the private sector and NGO's have worked to upskill and build capacity of teachers through Trainings, availing devices and access to digital platforms to ease accessibility and delivery.

It's good and it's going to improve the education system because the Ministry in the past years has been able to provide basic educational materials but it will come with challenges because most of us can't afford the devices...since not every parent can afford devices, data costs and network challenges in some areas. The government needs to see how to help our parents to provide the devices...
Mweisa Jonah, S5, Mubende High Secondary School.

Computers in a rural TVET in Yumbe District provided by eLearning initiative Uganda which started post COVID19 to improve quality of learning through Education Technology

Schools have been at the forefront of fighting this by employing stringent policies, rules, and regulations barring mobile phone use at school, although some reasons are plausible. However, these challenges could be mitigated if attention is given. Is the government ready to settle policies with schools, make them familiar with digital tools, and provide adequate teacher training? On the other hand, some schools and learners have nothing to be permitted because they don't own these gadgets, which the government is permitting. This implies a widening digital divide among Ugandan learners due to accessibility disparities.

Is the government ready to allocate funding to fully upscale ICT infrastructure and tools? If not, we will continue to progress in paperwork rather than groundwork. It's also important to know that "technology in the classroom isn't the end goal; embracing lifelong learning everywhere is the goal." Teachers need to integrate technology seamlessly into the curriculum instead of viewing it as an add-on, afterthought, or event; otherwise, the current attitude is detrimental to the Digital Agenda of the Ministry of Education.