Ogenda Girls Secondary School Ignites Digital Innovation with ICT Club Launch in Pakwach

In a bold step towards empowering girls with crucial 21st-century digital skills, Ogenda Girls Secondary School in Pakwach District officially launched its ICT Club on June 20, 2025. This momentous occasion marks a significant milestone in Uganda’s ongoing national effort to integrate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into the education system. For context, Pakwach District was historically part of Nebbi District, located within Uganda’s West Nile region, emphasizing the reach of this digital transformation to various parts of the country. This landmark event was expertly facilitated by Mr. Noah Okwalinga, the National ICT Clubs Trainer from Kisubi Associated Writers’ Agency (KAWA), and meticulously organized in partnership with the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC). It stands as a vital part of a broader nationwide effort to nurture innovation, promote ICT literacy, and empower learners with digital competencies that are directly aligned with Uganda’s Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ensuring that education prepares students for real-world impact and future opportunities.

Even though the school is located in a very remote area, it boasts a remarkably good computer lab equipped with approximately 25 working computers. This crucial infrastructure, along with internet access and other vital ICT resources, has been generously provided by the Government of Uganda through the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC). This robust foundation significantly enhances the school’s capacity for digital learning. Partners like KAWA, in collaboration with the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC), have also been instrumental in providing specialized training for teachers. However, despite these commendable efforts, more work is still needed to fully enable teachers to seamlessly integrate ICT into teaching and learning across all subjects.

The launch day was a truly transformative learning experience, featuring dynamic hands-on training sessions specifically tailored to ignite creativity, foster critical thinking, and encourage the practical application of ICT tools. A total of 12 eager girl learners from the host school actively participated in the workshop, primarily from Senior Two, though students from other lower secondary classes also eagerly joined, showcasing a widespread interest in digital learning. Under Mr. Okwalinga’s expert guidance, these bright young minds explored powerful tools like MIT App Inventor and Visual Studio Code. They immediately dived into building simple applications, focusing their efforts on creating solutions for real-world problems prevalent within their own communities. These accessible tools were introduced as vital gateways into the exciting fields of mobile application development, web design, and broader digital innovation, proving that these advanced skills are well within reach for rural learners, especially when utilizing readily available, low-cost technology. The immediate impact of this practical experience was profound; as one particularly enthusiastic student remarked, “This is the first time I created something using a computer that could solve a real-life problem. I now believe I can become a software engineer in the future.” This powerful statement perfectly encapsulates the inspiring and transformative potential of the newly established club.

The ICT Club was launched with a clear and compelling vision: to empower learners to become creators of technology rather than merely passive consumers. Its core objectives are to help students develop essential skills in digital problem-solving and innovation, engage deeply in project-based learning relevant to their communities, strategically prepare for national ICT exhibitions and competitive inter-school competitions, and ultimately transition from being passive users to active innovators and developers. The club is scheduled to meet weekly, with sessions designed to cover a diverse range of topics, including digital content creation, research methodologies, mobile app development, and crucial presentation skills. Discussions around various leadership roles within the club also took place, setting a robust foundation for genuinely learner-led organization and long-term sustainability.

The school community has shown strong support for this initiative. Mr. Komakech Samuel, the dedicated ICT Club Patron and Teacher Liaison at Ogenda Girls Secondary School, played a pivotal role in seamlessly coordinating the launch event. He extended his deep appreciation to both UCC and KAWA for bringing such a life-changing opportunity directly to the school. Furthermore, Mr. Komakech made a firm commitment to ensuring the club’s ongoing success by providing consistent internet access and crucial technical support, actively mobilizing more learners from all classes to expand participation, and organizing internal ICT contests to further build interest, confidence, and a competitive spirit among the girls.

Despite the strong existing infrastructure, a few challenges were noted that require attention for optimal club operations. These include the need for more consistent availability of ICT equipment beyond the lab, to enable broader access and deeper integration across the curriculum. Additionally, while basic maintenance exists, ensuring sustained technical support for the equipment remains a continuous need. To effectively address these gaps and foster the club’s continued growth, the report put forth several key recommendations. These include an immediate call for investment in additional laptop donations, robust routers, and even more reliable backup power solutions to ensure uninterrupted learning beyond the current lab setup. It also suggested reinforcing the existing maintenance plan for computers, potentially through deeper collaboration with local ICT technicians, and expanding outreach to include learners from all classes to cultivate a truly school-wide ICT culture.

By the end of the session, significant outcomes were documented: the ICT Club was officially launched and its foundational structure defined; learners gained their very first exposure to practical software development environments; and a clear roadmap was drafted for future club activities, encompassing weekly training sessions, project planning, and preparation for regional showcases. The entire event was thoroughly documented with photos and an official attendance register, and valuable feedback was meticulously collected to inform future mentorship sessions, ensuring continuous improvement and relevance.

In conclusion, the ICT Club launch at Ogenda Girls Secondary School has truly ignited a flame of innovation and digital curiosity among young girls in Pakwach District. With the existing robust support from the Government of Uganda through UCC, coupled with sustained efforts from KAWA and vital local stakeholders, the club is exceptionally well-positioned to become a shining model of rural girl-led digital excellence. This powerful initiative unequivocally affirms that when girls are equipped with the right tools and targeted training, they possess the incredible potential to transform their communities through groundbreaking innovation. The school community is now extending an earnest call to Old Girls (Alumnae), compassionate well-wishers, and dedicated development partners to generously donate additional ICT resources. They also invite mentors in technology fields to volunteer their valuable time and expertise, and urge government agencies and private institutions to actively support the growth and expansion of ICT Clubs in rural girls’ schools across Uganda. Together, we can collectively ensure that the digital future is truly inclusive, remarkably equitable, and vibrantly led by inspired young minds, just like those now thriving at Ogenda Girls Secondary School! For more information or to support the club, please contact Mr. Komakech Samuel, ICT Club Patron, at +256 788 256 059.