The introduction of Information Communication Technology for advanced level students has suffered a setback in rural secondary schools because of lack of qualified instructors, power and computers. Last year, Ministry of Education announced a new policy that will require each Advanced level student to study computer science and subsidiary mathematics.
Recently, John Agaba, the commissioner secondary school education was quoted in the government owned new vision paper saying that majority government Advanced level schools had already got ICT laboratories. He also claimed that government had also retooled 400 of its teachers and sensitized 360 head teachers in regard to ICT teaching and equipment usage.
Despite the claims by ministry of education to set up ICT laboratories in various schools, several rural schools are grappling with the introduction of ICT. A mini survey carried out by URN in selected schools in Luuka district indicates that many Advanced level schools lack the basic requirements for teaching ICT.
Stephen Kyakwise, Mayuge district education officer welcomes the decision by government to introduce ICT but says there was need to carry out more research before rolling out the program. Kyakwise says various schools in his district lack the necessary facilities to teach ICT.
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Only 13 out of the 42 schools in Mayuge district are connected to power. Isma Ngobi, the head teacher New Hope High School in Musita says that the policy has come at a bad time. Ngobi explains that his school that is privately owned started operating this year adding that it lacks facilities to teach ICT. He says that they are hunting for money to buy at least ten computers, install electricity in the school and employ a qualified instructor to conduct ICT lessons.
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