By Pascal Kwesiga and Carol Kasujja
For 22 months, schools in Uganda were closed. It was the longest school closure and its impacts might be felt for the long haul.
From schools that were too broke to reopen in January 2022 and teachers who lost jobs to children who could not return to school due to reduced learning opportunities and teenage pregnancies, education was one of the industries hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Without sustainable safety nets, the impact of this school closure on all actors in the education sector is still deep. But a lot of things can be done to put this sector on the road to recovery.
One such thing is the first New Vision Education Expo arranged to run between January 27 to 29 at the Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology (UICT) in Nakawa, Kampala.
Curated as a one-stop shop for all things education, this fair will bring together actors in the education industry to showcase the latest products and services in the sector as well as interventions designed to contribute to its recovery. This is why businesses like Stanbic Bank are part of this fair.
“Education paid the highest price (during the pandemic) and the need to stand with this sector has never been greater,” Anne Juuko, the Stanbic Bank’s chief executive officer (CEO), says. “That is why we are part of this great intervention,”
EXHIBITORS
Stanbic Bank, UICT, Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT), Medipal International Hospital and Research and Education Network for Uganda (RENU) last joined the Vision Group CEO, Don Wanyama, to announce their participation in this expo.
The State House has joined the fair through the Presidential Industrial Project which has seen regional facilities set up to skill Ugandans who did not receive formal education. Makerere and Ndejje universities and Pepsi Cola have also joined the expo.
“Education resonates well with the bank because there is no way you can drive growth without human resources,” she adds. “It is one lever you need to pull to drive economic growth. All teachers and learners need to be supported and that is what we will reiterate at the expo,”
With just one day before the expo opens, the bank says it is assembling a number of products and interventions to showcase at the expo like the national school championship scheme that seeks to nurture entrepreneurs.
Dr Edward Kitoogo, the UICT head, says the expo is an opportunity for the institution to help the public learn about its competency-based training to retool Ugandans to participate in the digital economy.
“We are retooling people in machine learning, digital marketing, and business process outsourcing and this expo is very important for us to show Ugandans the opportunities and innovations in ICT training,” he adds.
Dr Patrick Byakatonda, the head of DIT, says his institution will have on display at the expo projects that schools have so far produced under the revised lower secondary curriculum. “Students are developing products in schools like soaps and refrigerators to help farmers,” he adds. “Some students are now producing food for the schools because of these curriculum reforms,”
Byakatonda says the expo presents an opportunity for parents and learners to enhance their understanding of the curriculum reforms through the products on display and training workshops as well as question and answer sessions.
OPPORTUNITIES
The ongoing curriculum reforms form part of the content of the training workshops that will be conducted during the expo. There will also be experts discussing early childhood development education, parenting, career guidance and counselling, vocational education and opportunities in higher institutions of learning, including universities.
A team from Presidential Industrial Project will share opportunities in the vocational training hubs that have been set up in various regions. The scheme, which targets individuals without formal education, according to Raymond Kamugisha, one of the project managers, has seen several people skilled in various vocational fields.
“This expo will be an opportunity for us to talk to more people about the levels of training we are offering and how some can get a certificate equivalent to the Senior Four certificate and a higher diploma to join the university,” Kamugisha says. “We want people to know, for example, that now you can even join the army with a certificate from these training hubs,”
Dr Adnan Khan, the CEO of Medipal International Hospital, says the expo will give them a chance to showcase health innovations and how actors in the education sector can insure themselves against health-related risks.
“We all need to always be ready to handle disasters like epidemics,” he adds. “No education system can be complete without taking care of the learners’ health,”
Meanwhile, Caroline Tuhwezeine, a communications officer at RENU says they will have an opportunity to share with the public the research the institution has conducted for educational institutions and their internet services.
“As a student, you can do your assignment anywhere because of the internet services we provide,” he adds. “We will have an opportunity to discuss with you these services and more at the expo,”
Franchescar Tebitendwa, Marketing and Outreach Manager, Cavendish University
We are a young university which is growing very fast. We would like to show the public what has made us grow fast. We have over six programmes which are all student-centred. Ugandans who want to study online should come and interact with our effective online programmes. We have one of the best distance learning programmes with students from 47 countries.
Marvin Kisekka, Marketing and sales executive, Affordable Study Consults
I invite people to come and learn about various opportunities abroad through our vast networks in educational institutions in Europe and Asia. We will be at the expo to help people understand how they can pursue further studies in universities across the world at affordable rates.
Peruth Nakimenya, Engagement officer at the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda
We have different products and courses for students who would like to pursue accounting as a professional. People who will come to our stall at the expo will get knowledge to pursue a career in accounting. We will also provide information on professional accounting in Uganda.
Teddy Nalukwago, Distribution and sales manager at Bata Shoe Company
We will be selling our products at a discount at the expo. I urge parents to come in large numbers because they will be able to get shoes for the schoolchildren at discounted prices. We will showcase new products for schoolchildren like safety gumboots.
Robert Kikonyogo, Business growth supervisor, Vision Fund
We want our children to have an opportunity to go back to school. But we also understand the challenges parents go through to take their children back to school.
No child should sit at home because of school fees, so we want parents to come to the expo to use us to apply for and get school fees loans. You can get from sh5m to sh100m and our loans are payable within four months and one year.
Oliver Naggayi, Admissions and exams assistant, Insurance Training College
We are the training arm for insurance in Uganda and we want to increase knowledge of insurance, not only among people who are in the insurance industry, but also students who have finished Senior Four. We have started a programme for these students so that they get placed to work in insurance companies before joining university.
Angel Kirungi, Managing director, Student Liaison Group
We help students who want to study abroad settle in the countries where they go to study. We offer career guidance free of charge. Studying in a foreign can be challenging, so we help these students cope with their stay and studies abroad.
Annet Namuluuta, Clevers’ Origin Junior schools, Kitintale
I urge people to come to the expo to find out the difference between academic-based schools and the schools that mold children and give them all-around learning. Our schools have extracurricular activities and we are doing very well in music. I appeal to parents to come to the expo so they learn more about us. We will be registering pupils at the expo.
Esther Nassali, Communications officer Forum for Africa Women Educationalists
We always give out sponsorship to disadvantaged students, especially girls. Some of the beneficiaries of our scholarships have graduated with very essential skills. These graduates will be showcasing the skills they are relying on to survive during the expo. Some of the girls are skilled in bee-keeping and packaging honey, art and craft and mushroom growing. We will also offer career guidance during the expo and share tips with learners.
Sheba Ayinzabyonna, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) instructor, Young Engineers
We train children aged between four and six years in technology, mathematics and innovation. We expose students to experiences from other countries and offer career guidance. Our programmes have helped many communities with different problems get solutions.
