In a landmark step towards nurturing science innovation, the Uganda Professional Science Teachers Union (UPSTU) has officially released the updated schedule and full shortlist of schools selected for the highly anticipated 2025 Science Innovation Projects Competition. This national initiative, designed to promote hands-on learning and scientific creativity in secondary schools, marks a major milestone in UPSTU’s commitment to advancing “science for development and transformation“.
The initiative, now in its first edition, has ignited excitement across the country by giving students a national platform to exhibit groundbreaking ideas aligned with real-world challenges and competence-based problem-solving across fields such as Agriculture, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, ICT, and Mathematics. These exhibitions will serve as a launchpad for young scientists to showcase real-world solutions, foster STEM integration, and compete for national recognition in science-driven innovation.
Tentative Schedule of Key Activities
| Date(s) | Activity | Details | Status |
| 1st March – 30th April 2025 | 📢 Call for Projects & Distribution of Invitation Letters | Call for projects published via UPSTU website projects via upstu.org/submit-project. Schools encouraged to submit project reports. | Completed |
| 14th & 15th May 2025 | ✅ Expert Vetting & Shortlisting Exercise | Panels of subject matter experts review and shortlist projects for regional exhibitions. Held at the UPSTU Secretariat. | Completed |
| MAY 26 | TERM 2 BEGINS | ||
| 1st – 6th June 2025 | ✉️ Communication to Schools | Selected schools are formally invited to participate in regional exhibitions. | In progress |
| Sat 21st June 2025 | 📍 Central Region Exhibition | Proposed Host School: Mbogo Mixed S.S (Kawanda – Wakiso district) | |
| Sat 28th June 2025 | 📍 Northern Region Exhibition | Proposed Host School: Lango College – Lira City | |
| Sat 5th July 2025 | 📍 Eastern Region Exhibition | Proposed Host School: Mbale SS – Mbale City | |
| Sat 12th July 2025 | 📍 Western Region Exhibition | Proposed Host School: Mbarara High School – Mbarara City | |
| To be communicated | 🌟 Final National Exhibition | Residential national event. Includes final awards and media publicity. | |
| 22 August 2025 | END OF TERM 2 |
Project Submissions and Expert Vetting Exercise
Through an online submission form published on the union website during term one 2025, UPSTU received over 260 submissions from schools in all four regions of Uganda.
To ensure transparency, consistency, and academic rigor during the evaluation and selection process, UPSTU developed and deployed a standardized Expert Projects Vetting Score Sheet. This assessment tool was meticulously designed to guide expert reviewers in objectively scoring each submission across five critical areas: Planning & Relevance, Creativity & Innovation, Implementation Feasibility, STEM Integration, and Report Quality. Each criterion is aligned with the competence-based curriculum and national STEM priorities, making this tool a model for future science fairs, competitions and educational assessments.
Following an intensive expert vetting exercise on May 14–15, 2025, at the UPSTU Secretariat in Ntinda, the best 80 out of 260 projects were shortlisted for the regional rounds, ensuring that only well-conceived and technically sound projects advance to the regional exhibitions.
Shortlist of Schools with Successful Projects Selected for Regional Competitions
The following schools responded to the UPSTU call for project submissions and after the expert / technical vetting exercise, some of their projects have been selected to proceed to the regional competitions. Unsuccessful projects are appreciated and encouraged to keep improving and try again next year.
| CENTRAL REGION – SHORTLISTED PROJECTS FOR REGIONAL COMPETITIONS |
| CRESTED HIGH SCHOOL MASAKA – KALUNGU (1 project) |
| MWEREERWE SECONDARY SCHOOL – WAKISO (1 project) |
| TRINITY COLLEGE NABBINGO – WAKISO (1 project) |
| AIRFORCE SECONDARY SCHOOL – WAKISO (2 projects) |
| BOMBO ARMY SECONDARY SCHOOL – LUWEERO (3 projects) |
| ENTEBBE SECONDARY SCHOOL – WAKISO (1 project) |
| GLORY OF CHRIST SECONDARY SCHOOL – RAKAI (1 project) |
| KALINABIRI SECONDARY SCHOOL – KAMPALA (1 project) |
| KIBULI SECONDARY SCHOOL – KAMPALA (2 projects) |
| MBOGO MIXED SECONDARY SCHOOL – WAKISO (2 projects) |
| NAMUNGO SEED SS – MITYANA (1 project) |
| NDEJJE SSS – LUWEERO (1 project) |
| ST HENRY’S COLLEGE KITOVU – MASAKA (1 project) |
| ST MARIA GORETTI SS KATENDE – MPIGI (1 project) |
| ST. ANDREW KAGGWA GOMBE HIGH SCHOOL-KAWALA – KAMPALA (1 project) |
| NORTHERN REGION – SHORTLISTED PROJECTS FOR REGIONAL COMPETITIONS |
| ACABA SECONDARY SCHOOL – OYAM (1 project) |
| ERUSSI SS – NEBBI (1 project) |
| ZEU SECONDARY SCHOOL – ZOMBO (1 project) |
| ABIM SECONDARY SCHOOL – ABIM (1 project) |
| ARUA PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL – ARUA (4 projects) |
| BISHOP TARANTINO COLLEGE-NGETTA – LIRA (2 projects) |
| COMBONI COLLEGE – LIRA (2 projects) |
| JUBILEE 2000 SS KARENGA – KARENGA (1 project) |
| LIRA TOWN COLLEGE – LIRA (2 projects) |
| LORO SECONDARY SCHOOL – OYAM (2 projects) |
| MORULEM GIRLS’ SECONDARY SCHOOL – ABIM (1 project) |
| WISDOM HIGH SCHOOL AKALO – KOLE (1 project) |
| EASTERN REGION – SHORTLISTED PROJECTS FOR REGIONAL COMPETITIONS |
| ST. PETER’S COLLEGE TORORO – TORORO (1 project) |
| BUBUTU SS – NAMISINDWA (1 project) |
| BUKOKHO SEED – NAMISINDWA (1 project) |
| KAKIRA SECONDARY SCHOOL – JINJA (2 projects) |
| KIIRA COLLEGE BUTIKI – JINJA (2 projects) |
| MBALE SS – MBALE (3 projects) |
| NYONDO SECONDARY SCHOOL – MBALE (2 projects) |
| SOROTI SECONDARY SCHOOL – SOROTI (2 projects) |
| STANDARD COLLEGE BUGIRI – BUGIRI (1 project) |
| VIVA COLLEGE – JINJA (1 project) |
| WIGGINS SECONDARY SCHOOL – KUMI (2 projects) |
| WESTERN REGION – SHORTLISTED PROJECTS FOR REGIONAL COMPETITIONS |
| BUBANGIZI SECONDARY SCHOOL – MITOOMA (1 project) |
| ISINGIRO SECONDARY SCHOOL – ISINGIRO (1 project) |
| KABALEGA SECONDARY SCHOOL – MASINDI (1 project) |
| KASHAKA GIRLS’ SECONDARY SCHOOL MBARARA – MBARARA (2 projects) |
| KIGEZI HIGH SCHOOL – KABALE (1 project) |
| KYAMATE SECONDARY SCHOOL – NTUNGAMO (2 projects) |
| KYANGWALI SECONDARY SCHOOL – KIKUUBE (1 project) |
| MARYHILL HIGH SCHOOL – MBARARA (2 projects) |
| MUNTUYERA HIGH SCHOOL KITUNGA – NTUNGAMO (2 projects) |
| NAKIVALE SECONDARY SCHOOL – ISINGIRO (1 project) |
| NTARE SCHOOL – MBARARA (1 project) |
| NYAKYERA SECONDARY SCHOOL – NTUNGAMO (2 projects) |
| ST MARY’S COLLEGE RUSHOROZA – KABALE (1 project) |
| ST. CHARLES VOCATIONAL SECONDARY SCHOOL – KASESE (1 project) |
| ST. KAGWA BUSHENYI HIGH SCHOOL – BUSHENYI (1 project) |
| TIMBITWIRE GIRL’S SCHOOL – BUSHENYI (1 project) |
| BISHOP KIVENGERE GIRLS’ SCHOOL MUYEDEBEBE – KABALE (2 projects) |
Program for Regional Competitions
In preparation for the regional competitions, schools are encouraged to support their students and teachers to participate in the competitions. Participants will pitch their innovations to a panel of adjudicators and engage the public through exhibition stalls. Independent judges will evaluate projects using standard rubrics similar to those used during the vetting process shared above. Final winners will receive certificates, trophies, and nationwide publicity, with selected projects featured in UPSTU’s online database and media platforms. At each regional event, the top six projects will qualify to proceed to the grand national competition in Kampala. Below is the tentative program for regional exhibitions:
| Time | Venue – Main Hall | Venue – Stalls / Tent |
| 7:30-8:30am | Arrival, registration, allocation of exhibition stalls | |
| 8:30 – 9:30 am | Introductions and Opening Ceremony. | |
| 9:30-11:00 am (90 minutes) | Pitch Presentations: Project 1-6 – in order of arrival. 15 minutes each (10-minute presentation, 3 minutes for questions and 2 for transition). | Each competing school will be allocated a desk at the exhibition stall / tent where they will attend to visitors for extended interactions / Q&A after their pitch presentations. |
| 11:00 – 11:30 am | HEALTH BREAK | |
| 11:30 – 1:00pm (90 minutes) | Pitch Presentations: Project 7-12 – in order of arrival. 15 minutes each (10-minute presentation, 3 minutes for questions and 2 for transition). | |
| 1:00pm – 2:00pm | LUNCH BREAK | |
| 2:00 – 3:30pm (90 minutes) | Pitch Presentations: Project 13-18 – in order of arrival. 15 minutes each (10-minute presentation, 3 minutes for questions and 2 for transition). | |
| 3:30 – 4:30pm | Closing Ceremony -Speeches / Guest of honor -Adjudicator feedback + & announcement of winners -Group photo |
Competition Logistics and Guidelines
UPSTU has adopted a cost-sharing model to facilitate transport for two students and one teacher per project at public transport rates. For integration of ICT / generic skills – schools are encouraged to prepare PowerPoint presentations and physical display materials to aid the main hall pitch presentations. Full project reports, including illustrations and videos, will be essential for final judging. Download sample templates for PowerPoint pitchdeck and project report from our digital library for reference.
Should any school be unable to participate, organizers urge timely notification to allow reallocation of the opportunity to other schools on the waiting list.
A Milestone in UPSTU’s Educational Vision
According to the UPSTU committee for educational standards, this initiative is more than a competition—it’s a platform to deepen the culture of project-based learning in Ugandan schools. “We are empowering learners to become solution creators. Their ideas, when nurtured, can spark national transformation,” noted Auma Betty, the Chairperson Education Committee, UPSTU during ProDev Hour 05/06/25.
The Science Innovation Projects Competition is part of a wider effort by UPSTU to bridge classroom knowledge with practical application. It reinforces ongoing programs like the ProDev Hour, SACCO-driven financial empowerment, and advocacy for science teachers’ professional growth.
The Union is also offering an opportunity to corporate / private businesses, NGOs / development partners, government entities, media houses and individual sponsors to partner on the UPSTU Science Innovation Projects Competition 2025, initiative via upstu.org/call-for-partners, so as to promote their brand as a champion of innovation, education, and youth development.
For more information, contact the organizing team via education@upstu.org | or contact the secretariat office via +256393102771.
Science for National Development and Transformation – powered by the Uganda Professional Science Teachers Union (UPSTU).