Most schools in Lango sub-region are struggling to teach Information Communication Technology (ICT) due to lack of computers and internet connection.
Schools especially those in the rural areas are the most vulnerable when it comes to accessibility of computers, the internet and power supply.
During the COVID-19 induced lockdown, most schools and higher institutions of learning in urban centres embraced the use of the internet which requires a computer or smartphone to facilitate learning.
However, most schools in the Lango sub-region do not have computers or access to the internet, which has affected ICT studies.
For example, the Government constructed Abok Seed Secondary school in Oyam district but not a single computer has been installed in the computer lab. The same scenario is at Akura, a government secondary school in Alebtong district.
Tom Richard Odyeny, the Headteacher of Akura S S confirmed that many schools including his do not have computers or power sources, which he says is discouraging students from taking computer studies.
Denis Giles Ongar, the headteacher of Mentor Secondary School whose students continued studying throughout the lockdown, says that the problem is not only for schools but also individual headteachers who are yet to acquire smartphones. He tasked the school authorities to embrace technology in order to fit in the ICT world.
Ongar who attributed the problem to the lack of funding to procure computers and provide internet called on the government and parents to join hands in ensuring that schools acquire computers because ICT is now a compulsory skill.
Steven Otim, a student of Abok Seed Secondary school is considering abandoning his dreams of taking computer instead of sub- math’s in A level because his current school does not have a computer.
“I really wanted to do computer at ‘A’ but without computers at school then I cannot because for you to excel in A you must have started from ‘O’ level,” he said.
Joseph Kateregga, an Electrical/ telecommunication engineer at Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) explain that UCC funding from the Uganda Communication Universal Development Fund will support schools with such as computers and solar power to mitigate the challenge.
Lango sub-region has 118 Secondary Schools, 7 Btvet and11 Tertiary Schools.
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