The atmosphere was electric at Busoga College Mwiri as the Eastern Regional ICT Club Competitions unfolded in grand style. Fourteen secondary schools from across the region converged to showcase creativity, teamwork, and innovation in one of Uganda’s most exciting student technology events of the year.
The function was officially opened by Rev. Tino Grace Xavier, the Deputy Headteacher of Busoga College Mwiri, who represented the Headteacher, Mr. Peter Sibukule. In his remarks, Rev. Tino warmly welcomed all participants and guests to the prestigious institution, expressing pride in the school’s long tradition of excellence in academics, discipline, and leadership. He emphasized that hosting such an event was a great honor and a reflection of Busoga College Mwiri’s commitment to promoting science, technology, and innovation among young people.
Busoga College Mwiri, a prominent boys’ school located on Mwiri Hill overlooking Lake Victoria in Jinja City, Eastern Uganda, stands as one of the country’s oldest and most respected centers of learning. Its rich legacy of producing leaders and innovators made it a fitting venue for this regional ICT showcase.
From mobile applications, robotics, and electronics to digital tools for agriculture and education, students demonstrated that innovation is no longer the preserve of big tech companies—it is now thriving in Uganda’s classrooms. The competition brought to life the vision of nurturing local talent to build solutions that address real challenges in society.
Inspiring Words from UCC Leadership
In her remarks, Eng. Rebecca Mayanja, Chair of the National Conference on Communications (NCC), applauded the students for their ingenuity and commitment to community-focused innovation.
“The future of Uganda lies in your hands. With ICT, you can design solutions that respond directly to our people’s needs, and in doing so, accelerate our journey towards national development,” she said.
Engineer Rebecca Mayanja from UCC, speaking during the opening of the function
Also in attendance from the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) were Eng. Winnie Mukholi, Mr. Robert Mbasa, and members of the Eastern Region UCC team based in Mbale, who provided valuable support throughout the event. Their presence reflected UCC’s continued commitment to promoting ICT literacy and innovation among young learners through the ICT Clubs initiative—a program designed to bridge the digital divide, nurture creativity, and align youth innovation with Uganda’s Development Goals (SDGs).
Partners and Organizers
The regional competition was jointly supported by ISBAT University, represented by Dr. Kumar Mayur, whose leadership continues to strengthen partnerships between academia and innovation. The KAWA Uganda team played a crucial role in mentoring, training, and managing the event, ensuring that students were well-prepared to turn their ideas into real-world projects. Sincere appreciation goes to UCC for the sponsorship and mentorship framework that continues to empower students, teachers, and schools through ICT Clubs across the country.
Participating Schools and Their Projects
Nalango Secondary School from Kamuli District presented The Personal Hygiene Hub, a fun and engaging platform that empowers students to embrace daily habits that keep them clean, healthy, and confident. The project aims to improve student hygiene and health awareness through interactive digital learning.
Busoga College Mwiri from Jinja City showcased the Device Management System project, which focuses on regulating and monitoring digital devices such as laptops and tablets that students bring to school. This innovation ensures responsible device usage while maintaining digital discipline within learning environments.
Atiira Seed Secondary School from Serere District exhibited The Teso Culture Hub, a dynamic project designed to use digital platforms to preserve, celebrate, and share the rich cultural heritage of the Teso community. The initiative promotes cultural pride and intergenerational knowledge transfer through technology.
MM College Wairaka, also from Jinja, impressed the judges with an Automated Heavy Load Lifting System for Uganda’s industrial sector. The system is designed to ease the burden of manual lifting by using automation to handle heavy loads safely, efficiently, and with reduced human risk.
St. Andrew Lotome Secondary School from Napak District in the Karamoja region introduced the Karamoja Moving Class project—a mobile learning site aimed at providing quality education among nomadic pastoralist communities. The innovation ensures access to consistent learning despite frequent movements of learners and families.
PMM Girls’ School from Jinja City developed a Website on Ending Poverty, combining ICT with practical, hands-on projects in areas like food and nutrition. Their innovation showcased the power of youth-led digital solutions in addressing global challenges such as poverty and hunger through education and technology.
Kira College Butiki from Jinja City presented FRAIMS AI, an artificial intelligence-driven system supporting the implementation of Uganda’s new lower secondary curriculum. The platform enhances digital learning, lesson planning, and student assessment, aligning with the national education reforms.
Hope Community High School from Jinja City introduced Wellness Guru, a mobile-first wellness application that supports stress management and the development of healthy habits among students. The app provides personalized health tips, breathing exercises, and wellness tracking tools.
Kaliro High School from Kaliro District focused on Community Empowerment Through Education, Health, and Digital Inclusion. The project aims to bridge gaps in access to education and healthcare by providing digital literacy programs and information resources for rural women, youth, and children.
Jinja College showcased Q’VAULT, an innovative platform designed to improve student performance under the new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). The project addresses challenges in accessing quality educational materials and encourages active, technology-supported learning.
Soroti Secondary School presented an Assistive Aided Listening Device developed to support students with hearing difficulties. The device enhances classroom participation and social interaction, ensuring inclusivity and equal learning opportunities for all.
Wanyange Girls’ Secondary School from Jinja City displayed Digi Uganda Connect, a transformative project that equips youth with digital skills in coding, robotics, content creation, and entrepreneurship. The initiative links innovation to Uganda’s broader goals of prosperity, sustainability, and digital transformation.
Ngora High School from Ngora District developed a project titled Promoting Access to Quality Education, centered on creating a digital learning site that makes educational resources easily accessible to all students, especially those in rural communities.
Iganga Secondary School from Iganga District presented Frames: Sky Ray, a curriculum information system that streamlines access to educational content and supports teachers in effectively delivering lessons aligned with national standards.
And the Winners Are…
🥇 1st Place – Jinja College 🥈 2nd Place – MM College Wairaka 🥉 3rd Place – Busoga College Mwiri
Each winning school was celebrated for its creativity, teamwork, and commitment to using ICT for sustainable community transformation.
The Road to NCC 2025
The victory means Jinja College will represent the Eastern Region at the National ICT Clubs Competition Finals during the National Conference on Communications (NCC 2025), scheduled for 2nd–3rd October 2025 at the National ICT Innovation Hub, UICT Nakawa. This year’s national event will be co-hosted by ISBAT University and Gulu University under the theme: “Harnessing Digital Innovation to Empower Sustainable Local Solutions for Uganda’s Development Goals.”
Uganda’s brightest young innovators will take the stage to present bold ideas, share experiences, and demonstrate how technology can drive inclusive and sustainable development. As the ICT Clubs initiative continues to expand, one thing is clear—the future of Uganda’s digital transformation is already taking shape in our classrooms.
Special Appreciation
KAWA extends heartfelt thanks to Eng. Rebecca Mayanja, Eng. Winnie Mukholi, Mr. Robert Mbasa, and the Eastern Region UCC staff in Mbale for their continued guidance and support. Special appreciation also goes to Dr. Kumar Mayur and the ISBAT University team for their leadership and commitment to youth innovation, and to the KAWA Uganda team for outstanding mentorship, coordination, and event management throughout the competition season.
Together, we are shaping a generation of young Ugandans who will use technology to build sustainable solutions for our nation’s future.
