Africa-Press – Uganda. MTN Uganda, in partnership with Burn Radio Ltd, has thrown its weight behind the expansion of the World Robot Olympiad (WRO) Uganda National Championship, offering students from under-resourced schools a rare platform to access robotics and digital innovation.
Held at the National ICT Innovation Hub in Nakawa, the 2025 championship drew over 200 students from 20 schools, all showcasing solutions under the theme “The Future of Robots.”
The event also served as Uganda’s qualifying round for the WRO Global Finals set to take place in Singapore this November marking the country’s first participation in the global competition since joining in 2023.
As part of a joint initiative dubbed Bridging the Digital Divide, MTN and Burn Radio trained students and teachers in robotics, coding, and artificial intelligence across 10 selected schools in districts including Gulu, Bugiri, Kalangala, Wakiso, and Luweero. Eight of those schools competed at the national level for the first time.
“Many of these schools had never had access to this kind of opportunity,” said Nelson Munyanda, Manager of the MTN Uganda Foundation.
“We have equipped students and teachers not only with tools but with confidence and exposure. This is inclusion in action.”
Participating schools included Kitante Primary School, Nakasero Primary School, Kasanga Seed SS, and others from rural areas such as PEAS Town View High School (Bugiri), Bishop Nsubuga Memorial School (Kalangala), and Horizon PEAS High School (Luweero).
The initiative falls under MTN Uganda’s Ambition 2025 strategy, which prioritises investment in education, entrepreneurship, and digital infrastructure as part of its mission to drive digital transformation across the country.
“This isn’t just about robotics. It’s about preparing a digital-ready workforce,” Munyanda added.
“We are seeing how quickly students adapt when given access. The implications for Uganda’s innovation pipeline are enormous.”
Government officials praised the effort as a step toward achieving national development targets. Ambrose Ruyooka, Assistant Commissioner for Research and Development at the Ministry of ICT, hailed the initiative as well-aligned with Uganda’s Vision 2040 agenda.
“The Ministry of ICT is proud to be associated with this initiative and applauds the organisers, including the MTN Foundation, for convening such a timely and impactful event,” Ruyooka said.
“Seeing children from both primary and secondary schools creating solutions to real-world challenges is not only inspiring but also a clear sign that we are making progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Uganda continues to grapple with a digital skills gap, particularly in rural areas where less than 10% of students have access to computers, according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics.
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