Makerere University is determined to promote research and innovations that offer solutions to challenges facing the country, Prof William Bazeyo, the chairperson of the Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF) has said.

To find solutions for children in primary schools that have problems with mathematics and Science subjects, Prof. Benjamin Kanabwa, of the College of Computing developed games for primary pupils to interest them in those subjects.

“Every year when UNEB results come out they show that pupils perform badly in mathematics and science, so we came up with an idea of learning and playing, so we developed games which have characters that teach children different concepts like sets and digestion. When a child is playing the game she or he gets points and other rewards which makes it interesting,” Prof. Kanabwa said.

The project known as gamification is being tested at Buganda Road Primary School, Sir Apollo Kaggwa, and ID Raymer schools. All the learning games are for free.

Aimed at providing farmers and the country with correct weather information, Mary Nsabagwa, developed an automatic weather station that predicts weather and is meant to help farmers know when to plant and harvest.

“We want to improve weather information, with the automatic system the more data we collect the more we send to the concerned ministries so that they can warn farmers on whether to plant or not. Even people will be able to plan their days better knowing it will rain or shine,” noted Nsabagwa.

During the Makerere University research and innovation fund open day at the College of Computing and Information Sciences, students together with their lecturers showcased their ideas and start-ups to thousands of other established innovators and potential funders worldwide.

It is from that event, that Prof. William Bazeyo, called upon researchers and innovators to conduct research that is a risk because it is more rewarding.

“Few researchers are conducting high-risk research yet it is rewarding. Right now there is snake research going on at the university, it is a risk but when it is done it will be rewarding. When COVID-19, had just discovered, very few people were interested in the research about the COVID-19 vaccine but now that the vaccine was found, the researchers are benefiting,” Prof. Bazeyo said.

Prof. Bazeyo also advised the researchers to make sure that their works are published in serious journals.

“We have baby journals for beginners but those ones have no big impact, if your work is published in established journals, your work will not be questionable and it will have a big impact. By the way, a University that does not do research is not a university. As researchers you should put in more projects because the Government of Uganda agreed to provide another sh30B for research next year,” Bazeyo said.

Makerere University is now focusing on research as its main pillar because they have so many PhD holders and students who have done research but transferring that into practical research and building research profiles has been a challenge, which the University now wants to address.

During the event, the minister for ICT and National Guidance Minister, Judith Nabakooba, pledged to support researchers and innovators to drive Uganda’s development agenda.

“Most researchers are saying that publicity is expensive for them through my ministry we are going to support all innovators because whenever I see young people doing such amazing works, I feel good that our future is bright,” Nabakooba said.

Most of the innovations were supported by the Government of Uganda to support high-impact research and innovations.

Prof. Tonny Oyana, who represented the Vice-Chancellor Prof Barnabas Nawangwe called upon scientists to stop the arrogance of not learning new concepts because learning never stops.