UGANDA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DECREE:
Just as COVID19 closed all Uganda Schools in 2020, the Uganda Ministry of Education announced major high-school curriculum revisions. A requirement was added that Senior 1 & Senior 2 (S1/S2) Students pass computer-literacy competency before graduating to the next grade, AND the method of teaching all classes was changed. Instead of teachers giving notes which students memorized, teachers were to present general topic introductions; followed by the students performing individual research, and demonstrating appropriate grasp of the topics.
As Robert Tabula – passionate educator that he is – says, these are both significant improvements, very appropriate for 21st-century education, AS LONG AS SUFFICIENT COMPUTER/INTERNET FACILITIES EXIST.
Now that Uganda Schools are reopening, these curriculum changes are being enforced for S1/S2 students. Next year S3 students will be subject to these requirements, increasing a grade each year until all 6 senior secondary grades follow the new curriculum.
At the same time, many, many, rural Uganda high schools have no computers whatsoever! This is especially true in the economically depressed North and Northeast districts where Robert Tabula and I4H are working fervently trying to address the need.
Our I4H mandate is to bring basic computer/internet literacy to marginalized agriculture, medical or education communities.
Our development model is to provide an internet-connected mini-computer-lab of 5 computers with cost-sharing between the beneficiary (~25%) and I4H (~75%).
Try to imagine a computer-lab of 5 computers for a high school with more than 1,200 students. Then, imagine the ~400 S1/S2 students having to take turns at these 5 computers to write their computer-competency exams. Now, try to grasp 400 students accessing internet-based information to complete ALL of their assignments. Finally, expand your imagination to include the hundreds (thousands?) of S1/S2 students at the surrounding schools totally disenfranchised because their schools have no computers at all.
Robert is working diligently to identify qualified candidate beneficiaries, and install/train/mentor as many systems as possible to address this urgent need to allow students to graduate, and continue their studies.
At the same time, Robert is identifying and mentoring front-line technicians for the never-ending task of computer-technical support.
Robert has brokered agreements where some large schools which have I4H systems, allow students from surrounding schools to come to learn computer-literacy, and take their computer exams. Some I4H computer-labs are utilized 18-20 hours per day!
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
Envision the computer/internet access spectrum as a 10-step ladder; from ZERO (nothing) to 10 (high-speed streaming).I4H raises our beneficiaries from rung ZERO on the internet ladder, to rung 2 (compressed e-mail/internet-browsing) .
For communities I4H is able to reach, the changes are life-transforming; from subsistence to thriving.
Here’s where you come in. I4H wants to purchase/install/train as many Uganda high-school systems as we can in 6 months.
– Each computer costs ~$500;
– Each 5-computer system(*) costs ~$2,500, plus $1,500 for installation/training travel = ~$4,000. (All USD)
(* the I4H 75%; the beneficiary contributes remaining 25% ~$835)
Please consider contributing a computer ($500), OR an entire mini-computer-lab ($2,500), or EVEN a complete site-installation/training ($4,000). Of course, ANY contribution is most appreciated, is tax-deductible/ receipted, and will be put to work immediately.
