Experts Call for Technology-Driven Solutions to Boost Uganda’s Education Sector -

Education experts have called for the adoption of technology and innovative financing models to transform Uganda’s education sector, enhance inclusivity, and ensure sustainability.

Speaking at an education financing symposium organised by SchoolPay, Joseph Kiiza Ndiho, Executive Chairman of Service Cops, said technology-backed investment is the key to overcoming barriers that threaten quality education.

“The path to quality education is fraught with financial barriers. Rising costs, unequal access, and external shocks—like those experienced after the pandemic—have left many schools closed and students out of class. We must start a discussion that charts a sustainable course,” Ndiho said

He noted that SchoolPay is not just a school fees payment platform but an integrated value chain system that connects parents, schools, banks, telecoms, students, and suppliers, creating a reliable data source for decision-making.

“It could be a parent, it could be a school, it could be a bank, it could be a telephone, it could be a student, it could be a supplier to a school, it could be a content creator in education. What SchoolPay is trying to achieve is to bring all those people in one system so that it is a single source of truth for data that can be used to shape certain decisions, whether at policy level or at different levels.”

Juliet Atuhaire Muzoora, Commissioner for Secondary Education at the Ministry of Education, urged stakeholders to “think outside the box” in education financing.

She called for innovative ways to use platforms like SchoolPay to monitor capitation grants and institutional income, stressing that technology could drive accountability and efficiency in school management.

I would like to tickle you with the innovation on how can we manage even the capitation grants. SchoolPay has been helping parents, clients, guardians pay fees, but how can we use it to monitor capitation grants? How can we use technology to monitor the grants that are given to our different institutions? How can we use technology to monitor even our income as players in the education space,” Atuhaire urged.

“I would like to call upon especially the schools and educators to see how we can improve on the policy to ensure that this does not end here with fees, but also with how we can improve on our management of school and our delivery of education.”

Tineyi Mawocha, Chief Programme Officer and Africa Regional Director at Opportunity International, highlighted the urgent need to address financing gaps that keep millions of children across Africa out of school.

He said blended capital—combining development finance institutions, commercial banks, and philanthropy—paired with capacity building and tailored financial products, could help schools and families meet education costs.

“Financial products must be paired with training for school leaders and teachers. Technology should complement, not replace, teachers, and must be equitable, cost-effective, and inclusive,” Mawocha said, urging support for marginalised groups such as girls, children with disabilities, refugees, and rural communities.

The symposium underscored the role of technology and blended finance in building a resilient education value chain capable of adapting to shocks, engaging communities, and promoting sustainable growth