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No amount of computers, tablets or high-speed internet can transform Uganda’s education system if teachers remain unskilled and resistant to change, Prof Paul Birevu Muyinda, an expert in Open and Distance Learning, has warned.
According to Muyinda, Uganda’s education sector requires a fundamental transformation rather than a narrow focus on digitisation. While technology can support learning, he argues that devices alone cannot improve education outcomes without investing in teachers’ skills, attitudes and teaching methods.
“Unless we equip our teachers, no amount of equipment we put in schools will bring digital transformation. The teachers must also be willing to learn and equip themselves,” he said.
His remarks come against the backdrop of a new digital readiness assessment that paints a mixed picture of technology adoption in Uganda’s secondary schools.
The report, From Unplugged to ICT-Ready: A Digital Readiness Assessment of Secondary Schools in Uganda, published by Mastercard Foundation, Luigi Giussani Foundation and Unicef, assessed 3,257 secondary schools across the country.
It found that only 671 schools, representing 20 per cent of those assessed, are fully ICT-ready, with reliable electricity, stable internet connectivity and sufficient access to digital devices. Learners in these schools enjoy regular opportunities to engage with digital tools, with an average learner-to-device ratio of 29:1 and access to more than 16 hours of grid electricity daily.
A further 1,372 schools, representing 41 per cent, were classified as semi-connected. Although these schools have electricity and some internet connectivity, frequent disruptions make consistent digital learning difficult. The schools typically receive between five and 16 hours of electricity daily and have an average learner-to-device ratio of 36:1.
The remaining 1,277 schools, or 39 per cent, were found to be completely unplugged. Most are located in rural areas, particularly in eastern and northern Uganda, where internet access is virtually non-existent, electricity supply is unreliable and learner-to-device ratios average 50:1.
“A school with fewer than five hours of daily power cannot meaningfully run a computer lab, charge devices or deliver internet-based lessons. When electricity is unreliable, digital learning risks complicating rather than supporting teaching and learning,” the report notes.
The assessment covered schools representing approximately 78 per cent of all secondary schools registered with the Secondary School Head Teachers Association of Uganda (ASSHU).
The findings raise difficult policy questions about where future investments should be directed. Should government prioritise equity by helping disconnected schools catch up? Should it focus on ensuring equal opportunities for all schools? Or should resources be concentrated where returns are likely to be fastest by strengthening already connected schools?
Although 98 per cent of schools reportedly have access to electricity, reliability remains a major challenge. The report found that private faith-based schools are the most ICT-ready, with 25 per cent classified as ready, followed by private community schools at 22 per cent and government-aided schools at 17 per cent.
Yet Muyinda believes the debate should not revolve solely around devices and connectivity.
“Now is not the time to lament about the lack of computers. We must make use of the resources we have to produce learners who are dynamic, versatile and able to survive in a digital world,” he said.
Drawing a comparison with motorists who continue to buy new vehicles despite poor roads, Muyinda argues that schools can begin their digital transformation journey even with limited technology resources.
For him, the starting point is not hardware but pedagogy.
“It all starts with teaching methodology and school leadership appreciating the power of ICT in education,” he said.
He cited examples of schools where a single motivated teacher equipped with one laptop and a projector has achieved greater impact than institutions with multiple devices but limited commitment to innovation.
“I have been to schools where there is an empowered teacher with just one laptop and a projector putting it to better use than teachers with more devices. Is that really about devices? We need to innovate around the few resources.”
Government has already committed itself to technology-driven learning through the National Digital Agenda Strategy and the Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP), which seek to improve education quality, expand access to knowledge and prepare learners for an economy increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and digital technologies.
However, the report cautions that expanding access to devices and internet connectivity alone is unlikely to improve learning outcomes.
Researchers warn that poorly implemented technology programmes can even increase teachers’ workloads if they are not aligned with learning objectives and supported by appropriate training.
The report argues that technology investments must be linked to curriculum goals and accompanied by strong pedagogical support, noting that there is no one-size-fits-all approach given the wide disparities in electricity access, internet quality, school leadership, teacher capacity and availability of ICT-trained staff.
Muyinda also believes technology presents opportunities to make learning more inclusive, particularly for learners with physical and cognitive disabilities.
He advocates for a broader cultural shift within schools, including moving away from an overreliance on traditional written examinations and embracing multiple methods of assessment.
“We engage with content differently. Some learners want to read during the lesson, others want to access it at night or in their own time. We must allow multiple ways of engaging with content,” he said.
According to Muyinda, learners should be allowed to demonstrate knowledge in different formats, including oral presentations, interviews and recorded submissions.
“There are people who are not good at writing but are good at talking. Others are good at writing but struggle to speak. Education should recognise these differences.”
He also challenged traditional classroom practices such as dictating notes, arguing that schools should instead teach learners how to search for, evaluate and apply information independently.
In an age of artificial intelligence, he says, the role of education is shifting from delivering information to helping learners distinguish useful knowledge from the overwhelming volume of content available online.
“A transformed education system is one where learners know how to use artificial intelligence and other digital tools to find relevant information and solve problems,” he said.
He added that learners must be equipped with collaboration and communication skills that enable them to work effectively with others regardless of geographical location.
“That is how the real world functions today,” he said.
Muyinda also cautioned against reducing online learning to prolonged Zoom sessions, arguing that keeping students on video calls for several hours simply replicates the limitations of traditional classrooms in a digital environment.
Meanwhile, Janet Akao Abaneka, a Unicef education officer, said ongoing interventions will include establishing smart classrooms in 15 teacher training institutions, providing ICT equipment to 100 secondary schools, deploying a national e-learning management system and training hundreds of tutors and teachers in ICT integration.
The programme also aims to roll out digital skills training in 500 secondary schools, train 1,000 teachers and strengthen cyber security, online safety and child protection measures.
Ben Byamugisha, an official from the ministry of Education and Sports, said teacher capacity remains the most critical factor in achieving meaningful digital transformation.
“Without digitalised teachers, we are not able to move forward. If our teachers are not skilled, we have a very big problem,” he said.
Byamugisha emphasised the need for data-driven policymaking to determine the skills teachers require and the resources schools need to effectively integrate technology into learning.
As Uganda pushes towards a digital future, experts increasingly agree that the greatest challenge is not the lack of computers, but the need to transform teaching itself.
Related
, https://observer.ug/technology/why-ugandas-education-sector-needs-transformation-not-just-digitisation/
