Mastercard programme expands university access for students with disabilities, refugees
The programme, which has benefited 6,000 learners overall, has expanded online learning, while nearly 300 university staff have been trained in digital pedagogy, instructional design and content development.
Representatives of the four institutions that benefited from the Mastercard Digital Programme pose for a group photograph with officials from the Ministry of Education and Sports and Cyber School Technologies during the closing ceremony of the programme. (Credit: John Musenze)
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More than 400 students with disabilities and refugee learners at four higher institutions of learning are gaining greater access to education through e-learning under a five-year digital programme, as universities use technology to overcome some of the barriers that can keep vulnerable learners out of classrooms.
The programme, which has benefited 6,000 learners overall, has expanded online learning, while nearly 300 university staff have been trained in digital pedagogy, instructional design and content development.
Implemented by Cyber School Technology Solutions with support from the Mastercard Foundation, the programme has been running at Nkumba University, Busitema University, Mbarara University of Science and Technology and Lokopio Hills Technical Institute.
The programme has provided support, including assistive devices, laptops, hands-on skills, scholarships and training, to help students with disabilities learn independently since it was launched in 2021.
In an exclusive interview, Gladys Kinya, a refugee from Lokopio Hills Technical Institute in Uganda's West Nile region, commended the Mastercard Foundation for the opportunity, saying it was a dream come true.
Kinya earned a fully paid first-class National Certificate in Building and Construction, which impressed her internship supervisors so much that they hired her. She now supports herself with her income from the construction sector.
“Through the Work Readiness course, I learned work ethics and how to conduct myself in the workplace and relate professionally with my supervisors and colleagues. I also improved my communication skills and learned how to present myself properly,” she told New Vision,
“Through safeguarding, I learned how to report cases of sexual exploitation and abuse. The knowledge I gained has helped me understand my rights and how to protect myself and others,” she added.
Speaking during the programme's closure at Silver Springs, Bugolobi, Prof. Jessica Norah Aguti, head of open distance and e-learning at Busitema University, said having a disability should not prevent a young person from pursuing education.
“If somebody has a physical disability or a mental disability, it does not mean that they are not brilliant. They just need opportunity to thrive. They need to be supported to thrive,” she said.
She said some of the beneficiaries are now completing their degree programmes and preparing to enter the workforce.
At Nkumba University, 26 students received scholarships covering tuition, accommodation, upkeep, counselling, laptops and other academic requirements.
More than 10 students with disabilities also received assistive technologies, including laptops, recording devices, cameras, specialised software and visual aids.
Nkumba University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Jude Lubega said the university had strengthened its support for students with disabilities through its Learning Management System, NUELE.
“When we started, only a handful of students with disabilities had been identified. Today, that number has grown significantly, and we have stronger institutional systems to support inclusive learning,” he said.
Lubega said the university was also exploring ways of allowing refugee learners to access education remotely through its digital learning platforms.
For some learners, the benefit of e-learning is the flexibility it offers. Course materials can be accessed remotely, reducing dependence on physical attendance and allowing students with different needs to participate in learning.
Associate Professor Saphina Biira, deputy vice chancellor for academic affairs at Busitema University, said the institution previously lacked a recording studio and digitalisation hub, while many courses had not been fully digitised.
The university has since established a recording studio and digitalisation hub and upgraded its learning management system.
Biira said almost all of its courses had been fully developed on the university's learning management system, allowing students to access learning materials remotely.
Students, including those studying medicine and nursing, also received assistive devices, while about 30 students benefited from scholarships.
The digital learning push, however, comes with a challenge for institutions in maintaining the systems after the five-year programme ends.
Cyber School Technology Solutions technical manager John Mukiibi said universities would need to continue investing in ICT infrastructure, digital content, instructional design and staff development.
“The demand for more interactive, engaging, and locally contextualised digital learning content continues to grow,” he said.
Mukiibi said digital transformation required more than putting technology in place.
“Digital transformation is not simply about deploying technology platforms; it is about strengthening people, institutional practices, and systems,” he said.
Representing the Ministry of Education and Sports, Commissioner Timothy Kijoba said the completion of the programme should mark another phase in Uganda's digital transformation of higher education.
He said the initiative had strengthened learning management systems, instructional design, online teaching capacity, learner support services and institutional policies.
“This is not simply the end of a project phase. It is a celebration of partnerships that have strengthened institutional capacity to deliver higher education that is resilient, inclusive and responsive to the demands of the digital era,” Kijoba said.
Kijoba urged universities to continue updating digital content, strengthening staff capacity and using technology to improve learning outcomes.
“For a higher institution to get a licence, they must now prove that they have an e-learning system. We want all learners to have digital skills; that’s why government has also transferred internet to all remote institutions to give them a chance too,” Kijoba told New Vision.
He commended the Mastercard Foundation for an inclusive programme because many learners with disabilities find it hard to get to higher institutions because of the lack of such assistive devices. He noted that the government education system has been designed to be inclusive and that all education institutions should adopt it.