The Government has committed to fund innovations especially those with commercial viability, the state minister of information, communications, technology (ICT) and national guidance has said.

Godfrey Kabbyanga Baluku urged higher institutions of learning, including universities and students to engage in research and innovation, saying it helps in the socio-economic transformation of the country through deployment of intelligent digital solutions.

“I encourage universities and students to engage in research so that whatever innovation is developed is commercialized with the support of the Government,” he said.

The minister was officiating at the 15th graduation of the Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology (UICT), held at their campus in Nakawa, Kampala, on Friday. 

It was conducted under the theme “ICT as technological vocational education and training to support digital and social economic transformation.”

Godfrey Kabbyanga Baluku, the Minister of Information, Communications, Technology (ICT) and National Guidance speaking to Prof. Mathew KhampackL during the 15th graduation ceremony of Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology (UICT) at thier premises in Nakawa, Kampala, on Friday.

A total of 378 students were awarded diplomas and certificates in electrical and electronic engineering, telecommunications engineering, information technology science, information technology business, business administration, records and archives management, and higher education certificate in physical sciences, among others.  

In 2019, Government announced a sh500b fund towards innovations, the former science and innovation minister, Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye, announced then.

Baluku said when Nelson Mandela was released from Prison in 1990, he chose Uganda as one of the African countries to visit because the National Resistance Movement had chosen to sponsor the education of many of the African National Congress revolutionaries.

Quoting Mandela, the Minister said education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.

The minister said the graduation came at a time when the world faced constant disruptions in the way things are done as a result of new internet and digital technologies.

He said the Government was committed to setting up accreditation and testing centres for ICT professionals and providing internationally accepted certifications for students who have attained greater academic ranks.

Baluku stated that the ministry is supporting innovators and has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Estonian Centre for international development to support young innovators to help government in the field of e-governance.

The UICT principal, Dr. Fredrick Kitoogo, challenged his staff to be more vigilant and ambitious to be able to survive the ensuing stiff competition, urging them to target innovation, industrial and market-driven related skills development and keeping at pace with the current and emerging technology trends.

Kitoogo noted that the government is also using the National Development Plans, especially the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system and Policy that holistically addresses Uganda’s skilling challenges, in order to achieve the desired national goals of increased productivity, labour market efficiency, and technological readiness.

“The policy emphasises a flexible workplace-oriented delivery when contrasted with the theoretical knowledge acquisition under typical general education systems and it shifts TVET management from the government-led to Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) delivery,” he noted.

Moses Watasa, the commissioner for communications in the ICT ministry, said the government is leveraging ICTs in transforming the country, adding that there is a need for ICT skilling for purposes of e-commerce, e-government services, automation of systems, and procedures in order to match the fourth industrial revolution.