KAMPALA – Uganda’s brightest young scientific minds gather for the National Finals of the UPSTU Science Innovation Projects Competition 2025 this Saturday 23rd August 2025 at the ADB Building Theater – Makerere University Business School Nakawa, Kampala. A total of 20 groundbreaking projects, selected from rigorous regional competitions across the country, will be showcased before policymakers, educators, industry leaders, and the general public.
The competition, organized by the Uganda Professional Science Teachers’ Union (UPSTU), has become a landmark initiative in nurturing scientific curiosity, practical innovation, and real-world problem-solving among secondary school learners. From renewable energy solutions and AI-powered education tools to inclusive assistive technologies and sustainable farming innovations, the projects reflect the ingenuity and resilience of Uganda’s youth in tackling pressing community challenges.
Dr. Vincent Elong, the National Chairperson of UPSTU, emphasized the broader significance of this event:
“The UPSTU Science Innovation Projects Competition is more than an event; it is a direct reflection of our mission as a union. We are mandated to unite science teachers, uphold professionalism, and promote science for national development. This competition is a platform where students bring theory to life, using science and technology to solve everyday challenges. It shows us that the future of Uganda lies in the creativity and problem-solving capacity of our young people. We extend our sincere appreciation to the Government of Uganda for its progressive policies in supporting science education. The enhancement of science teachers’ salaries has not only motivated our members but has also reaffirmed the national commitment to the teaching profession. Coupled with the competence-based curriculum reforms, these measures have created a fertile ground for innovation, enabling teachers and learners alike to engage meaningfully in project-based work.”
From the regional rounds, the projects advancing to the nationals include innovations such as Soroti SS’s Assistive Listening Device, designed to enhance communication for individuals with hearing impairments; St. Maria Goretti Katende’s Hand Gesture-Controlled Wheelchair, which empowers people with disabilities through affordable, locally developed technology; Comboni College’s Electric Generator, providing eco-friendly and sustainable power solutions for rural communities; Maryhill HS’s Smart Health Care System, which leverages technology to improve patient care and hospital efficiency; Ntare School’s Comprehensive Waste Management Machine, offering innovative solutions for sustainable waste handling; Trinity College Nabbingo’s Compost Tumbler, designed to convert waste into eco-friendly compost for agriculture; and Kiira College Butiki’s Fraims AI, a smart system created to support Uganda’s competence-based curriculum by offering advanced academic assistance.
According to Dr. Mugaiga Aron, General Secretary of UPSTU, the competition aligns perfectly with Uganda’s education reforms and broader development goals:
“Across all four regions, we saw projects addressing real challenges— in the North, learners explored eco-friendly tractors and smart canes for the visually impaired. In the East, students devised renewable energy solutions and practical agricultural technologies. The West impressed with AI-powered tutors, healthcare automation, and modern waste management systems, while the Central region brought forward robotics, drones, and gesture-controlled wheelchairs that mirror trends on global innovation stages. We now call upon development partners and the private sector to join us in expanding this initiative which we have piloted this year and will be running annually. By working together, we can transform science education into a national driver of sustainable development.”
The journey to the national finals has revealed the impressive diversity of Uganda’s student-led innovations. Reflecting on this journey, Auma Betty, Chairperson of the Organising Committee, underscored the transformative spirit of the competition:
“These are not ordinary school science projects. What we are witnessing is the birth of a new generation of innovators who are daring to think beyond textbooks. These projects show that Ugandan learners can generate solutions that impact lives and industries. With limited resources but boundless imagination, they are demonstrating that our schools can be incubators of world-class innovation.”
The national exhibition is expected to attract wide attention from education stakeholders, government ministries, private sector investors, and development partners eager to identify promising ideas with potential for scaling. All school teams are required to exhibit their innovations physically at their respective stalls and are also given opportunity to deliver an elevator pitch to the entire audience aided by PowerPoint projection, as adjudicators follow a rigorous rubric to award points. Beyond the competition itself, the event provides a platform for dialogue on how to strengthen science education, promote STEM careers, and equip Uganda’s youth to lead in a rapidly changing global economy.
As we mark this annual competition, the call is clear: innovation must be nurtured early, and schools must be given the tools to foster a culture of research, creativity, and applied science. The 20 projects on display this Saturday are not just a showcase of talent—they are a glimpse into Uganda’s scientific future.