21 students win MTN scholarships

L-R: Minister Alupo, MTN CEO Mazen Mroue pose for aphotograph with the winners of 21 scholarships at the closing ceremony of the 21 days of MTN Yellow care. PHOTO/ Esther Namirimu

By Esther Namirimu

MTN Uganda has handed over 21 scholarships to lucky students who participated and excelled in an online aptitude exam under their Y’ello Care campaign. 

The students received the awards on Friday  at a closing ceremony of 21 days of Y’ello care held at Kibuli Secondary School.

There were 5 regional winners from Central, Northern, Western and Eastern/Southern each with an overall winner Joseph Owori, a student from Namilyango College who had the highest score.

Mazen Mroue, CEO MTN said that the aptitude exams were part of an initiative to popularize and encourage usage of an e-learning platform that MTN Uganda and Gayaza High School launched on the June 31, 2013.

“This e-learning platform is an initiative geared at impacting and empowering learners within the country through improved electronic educational content and user enabling apps,” he added.

Mazen said that platform gives students and teachers in Uganda free online access to educational material from the national syllabus, past exam papers and other relevant study material. Students are also able to share experiences and have access to teachers all the time to learn.

“21 days of Y’ello care is an annual MTN group initiative in which staff take 21 days of their work schedule to take part financially, physically and emotionally in activities that touch and impact the lives of the people in the areas in which they do business,” he added. 

The theme this year has been “investing in Education,’ but skewed towards ICT in education. The 21 scholarships were funded through staff contributions. Individual departments with MTN also undertook separate projects in various institutions of learning, all under the theme ICT in education.

Mroue explained in the developing world, governments are strained by all the social requirements they need to invest in, and many a times, are not able to fully invest in everything.

Speaking at the handover of the scholarships at Kibuli Secondary School in Kampala, Anthony Katamba, MTN Uganda GM Corporate Services said:

“Education and ICT are both areas that are very close to our hearts at MTN because of their potential to transform the socio-economic status of a community. In fact education is one area that we have decided to focus our social investments as MTN Uganda. As the leading communications company in Uganda, we are very proud to champion the cause of e-learning.”

“It therefore calls upon private entities like MTN to come in and supplement government efforts through such investments in social infrastructure whose impact cannot be measured, and yet they make a whole lot of difference. As the number one corporate citizen, we are committed to doing our part,” Katamba said.

Jessica Alupo, the Education minister, thanked MTN Uganda for their continued support to Ugandans in different areas.

“There is no sector that MTN Uganda has not touched with their social investments. And these are all very noble investments. If we have more private partners picking a leaf from MTN, government would be able to concentrate on building infrastructure and policy issues,” she said.

Alupo thanked the 50 schools that participated in the campaign and the teachers for supporting their students.

“E-learning is a very important learning tool and I am pleased to see that it has been integrated here to further support knowledge sharing,” she added.

Alupo added that the Ministry of Education and Sports recognises the importance and benefits of ICT to the development of the country. A number of initiatives have been put in place by the government.

“The Government has constructed nine ICT centers of excellence in secondary schools in the different regions of the country,” she added.

Over 800 ICT laboratories have been set up in various schools by the Ministry together with Uganda Communications Commission (UCC).

300 schools have benefited from the use of Cyber School Technology Solutions program, in teaching of science and mathematics. All our public universities now use digital libraries.

Higher of learning such as Makerere, MUBS, UMI are now using the E-learning platform.

The Government has also introduced subsidiary ICT at advanced level as a means of equipping the learners with skills to meet the changing needs of the world of work. The Ministry is currently working on the curriculum reforms at the lower secondary where ICT will be a generic subject.

Hajji Ibrahim Matovu, the head teacher of Kibuli SS thanked MTN Uganda for choosing his school to participate and also host the closing event.

“We are grateful to MTN for being a global partner in such activities,” he added.

Matovu said that Kibuli SS welcomes this e-learning initiative because it is in line with Government policy Education For All (EFA) and the millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

He mentioned several challenges like lack of equipment like computers, ICT labs, and expensive costs of internet connection requested Alupo to offer support for the smooth running of the programme.

Other schools that participated are; Gayaza high school, Old Kampala SS, Lubiri ss, Namilyango College, Arua Public SS, St. Joseph College Ombachi, Iganga SS, Bwerwanyangi Girls school, Sir Samuel Barker school, Serwanga Lwanga memorial school, Semiliki SS, Kitante Hill, Masaka SS and Ndejje SS.

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