The launch of ICT Clubs in secondary schools under the Uganda Communications Universal Access Fund (UCUSAF) marked a bold turning point in Uganda’s approach to digital education. During the event, the Executive Director of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), Hon. George William Nyombi Thembo, delivered a speech that challenged the way schools have historically managed ICT labs and set a new standard for accountability, sustainability, and student empowerment. His message was clear: Uganda cannot build a digital future if its students remain locked out of the very tools designed to prepare them for it.
Hon. Nyombi began by expressing his excitement to interact with students and teachers, noting that when you influence young minds, you shape the destiny of a nation. He reminded the audience of the philosophy behind UCUSAF: reaching the underserved and ensuring every learner, regardless of geography, receives an opportunity to access modern tools and knowledge. For eight years, the Commission has invested in over 1,030 secondary schools, equipping nearly 90% of all government-aided institutions with basic ICT labs. Although these labs might not have the most sophisticated hardware, they served as a powerful “proof of concept” demonstrating that ICT in schools is both possible and impactful. This progress has contributed to the integration of ICT as an examinable subject at O-Level and A-Level, a milestone in the country’s education system.
Despite this significant investment, the Executive Director highlighted a persistent and troubling challenge: sustainability. Many schools failed to maintain their labs due to minor issues or a lack of appreciation for the technology. He narrated an alarming incident where he found a fully equipped 40-computer lab locked for two months simply because the teacher responsible for the key had traveled. The computers were functional. The students were hungry to learn. But the door remained closed. To Hon. Nyombi, this reflected a deeper issue — a culture in some schools that does not fully value digital learning.
This experience pushed UCC to rethink its strategy. Retraining teachers alone was not enough. What was needed was a radical shift in ownership. The solution was deceptively simple but profoundly transformational: give the students control. This idea led to the creation and national rollout of ICT Clubs — student-led groups responsible not only for using the lab, but for ensuring it remains open, functional, and productive. When students feel ownership of their digital space, they naturally protect it, maintain it, and innovate within it. Instead of being passive recipients of technology, they become its custodians and champions.
Hon. Nyombi announced a new directive that has quickly become the centrepiece of UCC’s digital education agenda: from this financial year onward, UCC and RCDF will not collaborate with any school that does not have a functional ICT Club. The message was not intended as punishment but as an invitation to responsibility. Schools must now demonstrate that they have both an operational ICT lab and an active group of student leaders committed to keeping it alive.
To implement this model effectively, UCC partnered with KAWA (Kisubi Associated Writers Agency), a leading organization in digital learning and content development. Through its flagship platform, KAWA Connect, the agency is equipping ICT Clubs with offline digital content, teacher support, monitoring tools, and the skills needed to manage school labs sustainably. The partnership is anchored in the belief that digital transformation requires more than machines — it requires mentorship, community engagement, and a culture of continuous learning.
In concluding his address, Hon. Nyombi emphasized that information technology is not merely a trend but the foundation of the present and the future. Uganda’s students must be empowered to take charge of their digital environments if the country is to produce innovators, problem solvers, and leaders who can compete in the global economy. His directive, summarized by the phrase “No ICT Club, No Lab,” signals a shift from infrastructure supply to sustainability, accountability, and youth-driven innovation.
By placing students at the centre of ICT sustainability, UCC is ensuring that the digital future remains open — not locked behind doors, not dependent on one teacher, but accessible, vibrant, and alive under the leadership of Uganda’s young people. With this change, Uganda is not just investing in computers; it is investing in a generation that understands, values, and defends the power of technology.
