Bukooli College Bugiri is located in Ndifakulya A Ward Parish, Bugiri Town Council, Bugiri District of Eastern Uganda.
On this page, you will get more information on Bukooli College Bugiri New Curriculum Implementation, Teaching and Learning Resources, ICT Club, and Staff Professional Development.
KAWA is working with UCC through UCUSAF to launch ICT clubs in all secondary schools in Uganda. The key objective of these clubs is to build the students’ ICT skills more effectively and responsibly, drive creativity and innovation and develop the capacity of learners and their teachers in the care and maintenance of the Computer Laboratory. The ICT clubs will also be connected to nearby universities.
Bukooli College ICT club students participated in an Exhibition and coding clinic in the computer lab to mark Africa Code Week. The ICT club is a form of extracurricular activity, typically for students aged 12-18.
The ICT club was established by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) under the UCUSAF program. These are being set up in all secondary Schools with the support of KAWA as an implementation agency. They are usually run by the Headteacher or deputy as a patron, the ICT teachers, and a team of students who have an interest in technology.
A coding clinic is an event where students can come to learn about a coding language or platform.
The Bukooli College ICT Club Coding clinic brought together club members from all classes.
What Happened at the Event?
The event was a one-day coding clinic hosted by Bukooli College, Bugiri, Eastern Uganda. It was aimed at all students who were interested in computer science and computational thinking but didn’t know how to get started.
On this day, the students were given a chance to explore what computer science is all about and what they can do with it. They had workshops on web development, game design, and coding for mobile devices. They presented their work afterward.
We send special thanks to Ali Bukenya, the headteacher of the school, deputy headteachers, and the head of ICT, innocent Wanyama who is always available for the success of the club.
Conclusion: The Need for More Computer Science Education in Uganda
The need for more Web coding and Development education in Uganda is a complicated problem that needs to be addressed on a number of fronts.
There are many reasons behind the shortage of qualified teachers, which include low pay, inadequate training, and poor infrastructure.
It is important to note that there are no quick fixes to the problem. The government should consider different ways of addressing this issue by using existing resources better and providing incentives for organizations and individuals who are in the field providing such skills.
Tooling and Retooling of teachers.
Expect more updates on this page and the individual school website about the progress made by KAWA towards the tooling and retooling of teachers from this school and the new plans for teacher professional development. Gaps to be addressed by KAWA Uganda Workshops include the Pedagogical skills gap, ICT skills gap, Formative assessment gap, Understanding and interpretation of the syllabus gap.
Other Modules are using ICT in assessment for Learning and Recordkeeping, Implementation of the New Competence-Based Curriculum and New teacher policy, Learner Centred Teaching and Learning, Integration of ICT for enhanced teaching and learning, Classroom management, and Project-Based Learning in this school.
ICT Computer Laboratories
UCC through UCUSAF has installed ICT computer labs in over 1,000 secondary schools, tertiary institutions, and universities. All these schools currently teach the ICT subject either at O-level or/and A-Level.
UCC/UCUSAF identifies the sustainability of ICT laboratories in Schools and Colleges as a major Challenge. A study done in 2018 found that 40% of the laboratories were in semi-operable condition (RCDF Report). The maintenance issues identified were of a kind that could easily be trouble-shot by a trained computer teacher.
Even Schools that have not yet received Computers from UCC are being supported through teachers’ capacity building.
Bukooli College Bugiri New Curriculum Implementation, Teaching and Learning Resources, ICT Club, and Staff Professional Development.
Digital Teaching and Learning Resources for Schools
Implementation Lower Secondary Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC)
Schools are implementing the Lower Secondary Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) with S.1 learners as they progress to the next class. With the support of NCDC and the Master Trainers, teachers are gaining a deeper understanding of the implementation of the curriculum.
Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a key focus with projects that students will undertake at every end of the topic. Teachers will then be required to note the student’s progress before any new topic is introduced.
KAWA recommends the creation of Teacher mentors and a Professional Learning Community (PLC) in the school so that teachers who have not been oriented to the revised curriculum can get help from their colleagues at school to understand the expectations of the new curriculum.
In the new curriculum, there is a provision for the pre-Vocational component of education which is in the line with the World of Work requirements and in line with the Skilling Uganda strategy. This is aimed at preparing learners at an early age with the opportunity to understand and appreciate vocational work, recognize it’s importance and later join the world of work in this area.
Subjects that will benefit from this arrangement include performing arts, Agriculture, ICT, Nutrition and Food Technology, Art and Design, Technology and Design, Physical Education, and Entrepreneurship.
Learners studying these subjects will have the option of being assessed in the occupational competence equivalent to Level 1 at the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) at the end of senior three.
Bukooli College Bugiri New Curriculum Implementation, Teaching and Learning Resources, ICT Club, and Staff Professional Development.