Tayebwa urges government to formulate policy that makes internet based learning affordable

The Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa has urged the government to develop a policy that makes it affordable for students to access education online.

This policy, the Deputy Speaker said, should enable students to access websites providing education services without paying any shilling.

He made the call while officiating at the opening of the 13th Blended Higher Education Institutions Exhibition organized by the National Council for Higher Education at Lugogo showgrounds on Thursday.

He said part of the money earned by telecom companies as profits should be invested in the country’s education system.

“We need to push a policy of zero rating on education websites because not everyone can afford MBs (data). I have already shared this with the ICT minister and Executive Director UCC,” he noted.

Tayebwa also called for a review in the system of government sponsorship for students with a focus on the less privileged students and those in rural schools who despite the different challenges are able to perform relatively well.

“Why should a son of Tayebwa study at Makerere on government sponsorship yet I have the opportunity to pay for him?” he asked.

The Executive Director of the National Council for Higher Education, Mary J.N Okwakol, asked the government to intervene and fund research and innovation activities among institutions of higher learning.

She said the government should also provide scholarships to Ph.D. students to increase the number of experts in different research fields in the country.

As a way of providing a platform to science innovators from different institutions of higher learning across the country, the National Council for Higher Education organized a three-day exhibition under the theme of enhancement of teaching, learning, and assessment ODEL in higher education.