Emma Mutaizibwa
21 July 2005
Kamuli — President Yoweri Museveni on July 18, launched the first e-school in Africa under the initiative of the New Patnership for African Developed (Nepad) at Bugulumbya Secondary School in Kamuli district.
Speaking at the function, the the minister of state for Planning, Mr Isaac Musumba, said: "As a country and a continent, we face a time of great opportunity to bring about change, transforming our nation into a competitive world economic player."
He added, "For centuries, the power of of information has liberated people. The technological advances of the last century have charted the course to make information even more accesible to all."
African leaders, in an effort to bring the continent closer to meeting the Millennium Development Goals decided to build ICT in the whole of Africa targeting 600,000 schools over a 10-year period.
Uganda
Uganda was chosen among twenty other African countries where a demo e-school project would be launched for a period of twelve months. Musumba said Bugulumbya, which is a rural school as a result of the ICT installation shall undergo a radical transformation, where students will be equipped with the latest information technology innovations.
The Technical Services Group General Manager,HP Africa, Mr Rainer Koch, said, "In achieving this objective, the programme also allows for extensive involvement of local bussiness and stimulating growth in the local ICT-economy." HP computer firm, contiributed significantly in the the installation of the computers at the school. The other schools that stand to benefit are Kyambogo College School, Masaka Secondary School, St. Andrew Kaggwa Secondary School, Kabale Secondary School and Bukuya Secondary School.
APRM
Uganda and other countries were chosen because they adhered to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). The APRM is a voluntary self-assessment tool where African countries evaluate their rates of growth and development.
In March 2003, Uganda signed a memorandum of understanding in Abuja, Nigeria joining 17 other African countries that had accepted to be peer reviewed.
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