MTN Uganda, in partnership with Burn Radio Ltd, has backed the expansion of the World Robot Olympiad Uganda National Championship, providing students from under-resourced schools a rare entry point into one of the country’s fastest-growing STEM platforms.

Held at the National ICT Innovation Hub in Nakawa, the 2025 edition of the Olympiad attracted 20 schools and over 200 students, who presented robotics solutions under the theme “The Future of Robots.”

The competition is Uganda’s qualifying round for the WRO Global Finals in Singapore, scheduled for November, where the country will participate for the first time since joining the global programme two years ago.

Through a joint initiative dubbed the Bridging the Digital Divide Program, MTN Uganda and Burn Radio identified 10 schools from districts including Bugiri, Gulu, Kalangala, Luweero, Wakiso, and Kampala. Students and teachers were trained in robotics, coding, and artificial intelligence tools. Eight of these schools competed in this year’s national championship for the first time.

“Many of these schools had never had access to this kind of opportunity,” said Nelson Munyanda, Manager, MTN Uganda Foundation. “We’ve equipped students and teachers not only with tools but with confidence and exposure. This is inclusion in action.”

Some of the participating schools included Kasanga Seed Secondary School, Nakasero Primary School and Kitante Primary School from Kampala, St Andrew Kaggwa’s SS and Horizon PEAS High School from Luwero, PEAS Town View High School (Bugiri), ⁠Bishop Nsubuga Memorial School (Kalangala) and ⁠Onwards and Upwards PEAS High School ( Wakiso). ⁠

The initiative aligns with MTN Uganda’s Ambition 2025 strategy, which aims to accelerate the country’s digital transformation through investment in education, entrepreneurship, and digital infrastructure. It complements ongoing programmes such as the MTN Skills Academy, MTN ACE, and school-based ICT labs.

The championship comes amid broader efforts by the Ugandan government to meet its Vision 2040 goals, which include transforming the economy into a knowledge-based and innovation-driven system. The Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, along with partners such as Google, UNECA, and Camden Education Trust, supported this year’s event.

“This isn’t just about robotics. It’s about preparing a digital-ready workforce,” said Munyanda. “We’re seeing how quickly students adapt when given access. The implications for Uganda’s innovation pipeline are enormous.”

Ambrose Ruyooka, Assistant Commissioner for Research and Development at the Ministry of ICT, commended MTN for supporting the initiative, noting that it is well aligned with Uganda’s national development 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. It resonates strongly with the vision and goals outlined in Uganda Vision 2040,” he 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 (SDGs).” Uganda’s digital skills gap has, for some time, remained a challenge. According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, less than 10% of students in rural areas have access to computers or basic ICT training. MTN Uganda’s intervention, while modest in scale, could set a precedent for public-private sector collaboration in youth-focused tech education – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT1X9bTTH6A&t=94s