A Full Report on the 2024–2025 Rollout Led by KAWA in Partnership with UCC/UCUSAF
Uganda has taken another bold step in advancing digital literacy and innovation in schools with the successful launch of ICT Clubs in 100 secondary schools across the country. This milestone, coordinated by the Kisubi Associated Writers Agency (KAWA) with funding and technical support from the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and Universal Communications Service Access Fund (UCUSAF), is part of a national strategy to prepare young Ugandans for the digital economy.
The ICT Clubs initiative seeks to transform students from passive users of technology into active creators, problem solvers, and leaders in their schools and communities. Below is a full report capturing what has been achieved, how it was done, the challenges faced, recommendations moving forward, and a full list of the 100 participating schools.
A. Report Based on the Planned Activities
1. Development of Educational and Training Materials
To support the ICT Club program, KAWA developed tailored teaching and learning materials that are practical, engaging, and aligned with Uganda’s secondary school curriculum and global digital trends. These resources are used to introduce club members to key ICT skills and inspire creativity.
Resources produced include:
Dedicated Website: A central digital hub where clubs can access tutorials, upload projects, and connect with others.
Topical Videos: Curated video lessons on topics like web development, coding basics, cyber hygiene, and animation.
Training Curriculum: A step-by-step ICT Club manual that outlines leadership, project development, lab maintenance, and innovation activities.
PowerPoint Presentations: Used during school launches to explain the purpose, structure, and benefits of ICT Clubs to students and staff.
ICT Club learners at Ikwera Girls Secondary School, Kwania accessed coding tutorials directly from the ICT Clubs portal and began learning how to create animations using MIT App Inventor
2. Establishment of ICT Clubs and Leadership Structures
At each school, KAWA worked with the headteacher and club patrons to officially establish the ICT Club. This included launch events, election of student leaders, and distribution of club constitutions to guide operations.
Adopting a club constitution to define club values, responsibilities, and procedures.
Maintaining attendance lists, student contacts, and visual documentation (photos and videos).
At Fatima Aloi Comprehensive SS, students formed a club leadership team and began planning their first school-wide innovation challenge.
3. Creation of the ICT Club Handbook
To ensure consistency and sustainability, KAWA produced an ICT Club Handbook—a complete operational guide with modules on lab management, project work, safety, leadership, and digital skill development.
Distributed to all schools via shared Google Drive
Updated annually to reflect new skills, challenges, and innovations.
4. Digital Skills Training for ICT Club Members
One of the most impactful components was practical skills training. KAWA conducted intensive hands-on training sessions in each school to introduce core digital concepts.
Training modules included:
a) ICT Lab Management and Sustainability
Safe equipment handling
Lab scheduling and usage rules
Maintenance checklists
Power management and energy saving
Impact: Students now manage the ICT labs, freeing teachers to focus on instruction.
b) Basic Computer Maintenance and Troubleshooting
Diagnosing and fixing boot errors
Installing software updates
Antivirus protection and malware removal
Replacing hardware components
Impact: At Amugu SS, students diagnosed and fixed slow-loading PCs after training.
c) Internet Safety and Cybersecurity
Password hygiene
Avoiding scams and phishing attacks
Understanding digital footprints
Protecting personal data
Impact: At Bishop Willigers SS, students launched a campaign on safe social media usage.
d) Digital Skills Beyond the Curriculum
Basic coding in Scratch and Python
Google Docs, Sheets, and Forms for schoolwork
Creating PowerPoint presentations and digital posters
Researching global SDG-linked projects
Impact: Students at Mukono High School built an online quiz using Google Forms.
5. Reporting and Monitoring Progress
KAWA maintained a transparent and accountable reporting process, aligned with UCC/UCUSAF requirements.
Weekly field reports from each district
Launch-day logs and photos
Phase 1 summary report (50 schools)
Contact database of ICT patrons and headteachers
6. Workshops and Activity Calendar Development
KAWA organized engagement workshops with headteachers, patrons, and ICT teachers to ensure they understood their roles and actively participated in club planning.
Each school is developing a custom activity calendar featuring:
Weekly digital challenges
Innovation project deadlines
Peer-to-peer training days
Cybersecurity awareness week
⚠️ B. Key Challenges Encountered
Despite success, several issues were observed:
Religious Observances – In some schools, fasting affected concentration during launch sessions.
Lack of Computers – Some schools had very few or no working computers.
Delayed School Admin Support – A few administrators were slow to respond.
Time Constraints – Busy school timetables left little room for club activities.
Low Digital Literacy – Some learners had never used a computer before.
Teacher ICT Gaps – Some staff lacked basic ICT knowledge to support the clubs.
Hard-to-Reach Areas – Poor roads and rain delayed facilitators and equipment.
✅ C. Recommendations
To build on the program’s success, KAWA proposes the following:
Engage school leaders earlier for better buy-in.
Provide solar power to off-grid schools.
Upgrade hardware and internet access in under-resourced schools.
Train more teachers and patrons to mentor students.
Allocate time in timetables for weekly ICT Club meetings.
Appoint regional coordinators to visit and support schools regularly.
Run awareness campaigns to emphasize ICT for learning.
Support transport logistics for remote schools and districts.
🎓 D. Conclusion and Acknowledgements
KAWA is proud to report the successful establishment of 100 new ICT Clubs across Uganda in 2024–2025. This would not have been possible without the unwavering support of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and UCUSAF, whose vision for digital equity continues to transform the education sector.
Through this initiative, over 7,000 students have gained practical digital skills, formed peer-learning communities, and begun innovating for impact. We look forward to showcasing their projects at upcoming national ICT Club exhibitions and competitions.
“This initiative proves that when you equip young people with the right tools and guidance, they can build solutions for tomorrow,” — Moses Wamanga, Team Lead, KAWA.
