Laptops, Smartphones Now To Be Used In Pry, Sec Schools —Ministry of Education

The use of laptops, smartphones, tablets, and other ICT devices will now be allowed in primary and secondary schools, the education ministry has ruled.

The use must however be strictly controlled by the school authorities, the ministry added.

The new policy announced on Thursday, will guide the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in schools in the country.

The Uganda Minister of Education Janet Museveni made the announcements during the launch of the education digital agenda, the Independent reported.

The minister said as a precaution, that the of laptops, smartphones, tablets, and other ICT devices would be configured to block access to unwanted and harmful content, and then approved by the regulatory authorities..

She expressed the government’s sentiments for technology, though powerful tools for enhancing education should not become a distraction.

Parents, she added needed to be educated on safer use of the gadgets at home, since they would not always be used at school.

“We want to make sure that all devices used in schools are pre-configured to prevent any potential risks,” Assistant commissioner of ICT at the Education Ministry Patrick Muinda  said.

He added that the ministry was currently finalising guidelines on the use of ICT tools in education, details of which would be made known later.