KAMPALA, UGANDA: The Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr. Minister Monica Musenero has called on all institutions in the country to switch to digital-based education and bury analog ways of doing things if Uganda is to reach the heights of development it cherries for.
Musenero said this while officiating as a guest panelist at Victoria University’s CEO’s Platform on Friday, December 11 at the University main campus in Kampala.
The Minister implored Victoria University students, and learners from other institutions to explore and exploit their skills in technology-oriented innovations saying these are key tools of inventions every country desires during these changing technology times.
”Ugandans must switch to digital technology and bury analog ways of doing things that’s what will lead us into the first world,” said Minister Musenero adding that the government is soon kicking off enhancement and rolling out of technology centres with some financial support.
Musenero who commended Victoria University for championing the goal of transformational education in the country called upon Ugandans to stop being consumers but be producers noting that current technology is increasing poverty among Ugandan youths instead of earning from it.
”Our youths today spend a lot of money on data, phone charging among other expenses on top of earning nothing from the technology that is turning other countries superpowers,” said Musenero adding that change of mindset is something youths should deal with to benefit from the technology.
Jumia CEO Ronnie Kawamara at the same forum implored Ugandans to exploit the diversity in technology as the times are changing with the world shifting focus to digital-based innovations. This he says, when carefully implemented will attract investment and support from government to transform the country.
Kawamara also tipped on the fact that government and private sector are working tensely to see that there is a subsidy put on the high taxes on the internet and restrictions imposed on some social media sites such as Facebook since such barriers hinder innovation and technology developments in the country.
Meanwhile, Victoria University during the same function recognized the panelists with certificates of appreciation for attending the forum. The panelists included; Jumia CEO Mr. Ronnie Kawamara, Ms. Irene Mulira, NCHE’s Director of ICT and Innovation, NBS TV’s Canary Mugume who moderated the session and Minister Monica Musenero.
On a special note, VU also recognized singer Sheebah Karungi for using innovation to change the life of young girls battling menstrual challenges like stigma, lack of pads among others.
Emotional Sheebah delivering her speech asked the government to freely offer pads to girls in their menstrual cycles before wondering why condoms are free moreover when sex is an option but can’t offer pads freely as a mechanism to curb escalating school dropouts.
”Ever since I launched Holic Pads 2yrs ago, I and my team have traveled to a couple of districts in Uganda but we were shocked when we found girls in Karamoja sitting on the soil to menstruate and we actually learnt that it’s where men find them to rape them,” revealed Sheebah.
Sheebah later launched a campaign dubbed, ”Keep a girl in school” by buying 12 packets of Holic pads for 12 months at only Shs36000, for which Victoria University and Jumia supported the campaign with pads for 100 girls and 300 girls respectively.
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