The National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) has joined the MTN Uganda foundation to support plans to digitize secondary school learning materials.
According to a statement, the initiative is being driven through the Skilling for the Future project, conceptualized and developed by the NCDC as a tool to support effective teaching in schools.
“The project will develop an interactive digital curriculum for schools that will be piloted in 2017 and rolled out in January 2018, with the new curriculum for lower secondary schools from senior one to senior four,” reads the statement.
Recently, the prototype of this digital solution was demonstrated to the Education and Sports minister Janet Museveni at State House in Nakasero, in which MTN foundation handed over a cheque worth Shs 312m to support the project.
MTN Uganda chief executive officer Wim Vanhelleputte affirmed MTN’s commitment to supporting education as a key focus area of the MTN foundation.
“There is no doubt that investing in education is the most assured way of guaranteeing a brighter future for our children and our country…,” Vanhelleputte said. “The world has gone digital and it’s only logical that our education system embraces this new reality.”
In addition to developing the online curriculum, NCDC will also equip teachers with the skills for developing and customizing digital education materials. This, they hope, will improve on interactive learning.
Museveni commended MTN for its continued support and investment in education specifically its efforts in digitizing Uganda’s socio-economic activities from education, trade to social interactions within communities.
“We have stated in the past that promotion of e-learning and computer literacy is a key priority area for the ministry and, indeed, the country as a whole. We are working to enhance learning outcomes and contribute to innovations in industrial developments by embracing the digital age,” Museveni said.
nangonzi@observer.ug