Uganda Mulls Smartphone Policy for Schools Amidst Digital Learning Push

The Ministry of Education and Sports has put a hold on allowing secondary school students nationwide to possess smartphones and other Information and Communications Technology (ICT) gadgets within school premises. This decision is contingent on the government establishing specific policies to regulate their use.

Abubaker Bbuye, a principal education officer at the ministry, emphasized that permitting students access to these devices without proper oversight could lead to significant negative consequences. “I do not want to commit myself until we come up with the right kind of guidelines, because giving them the computers or the machines in their hands without guidelines would be the worst case,” Bbuye stated during the launch of a report on digital learning readiness in Ugandan secondary schools.

He noted that while some schools have implemented their own strict policies dictating the use of student-owned devices, a national framework is essential. This comes in response to calls from education stakeholders to reconsider the existing ban on smartphones, arguing it would greatly enhance ICT learning.

Robert Magemeso from the Uganda National Institute for Teacher Education (UNITE) echoed the sentiment, suggesting that allowing learners to have gadgets could help bridge the urban-rural divide in ICT access and improve academic performance. He urged the ministry to consider this possibility, acknowledging the potential disparity issues that might arise.

For over a decade, the government has maintained a ban on handheld mobile devices in schools, awaiting a comprehensive policy. This policy is intended to ensure teachers are adequately trained to integrate these tools into lessons and to manage student usage effectively. The report, “From Unplugged to ICT-Ready: A Digital Readiness Assessment of Secondary Schools in Uganda,” by UNICEF and funded by the Mastercard Foundation, revealed stark inequalities among schools. It categorized schools into ICT-ready (20%), semi-connected (41%), and unplugged (39%), with government-aided schools, often in rural areas, facing the most significant challenges related to electricity reliability, internet access, and learner-to-device ratios. UNICEF called for the fast-tracking of policy development to support widespread digital learning.

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/govt-hits-pause-button-on-phones-in-schools-5486854