Ntare student wins Africa writing duel

Won. Amos Mumbere (right) receives a certificate of recognition from State minister for Higher Education John Chrysestom Muyingo in Kampala on April 11, 2018Thursday. PHOTO BY DESIRE MBABAALI

What you need to know:

  • Mr Mumbere called on everybody to dare to try saying if he had not dared himself, he would not have won.
  • Mr John Chrysestom Muyingo, the State minister for Higher Education, who represented Education minister Janet Kataha Museveni, said the ministry was committed to enhancing innovation through emphasising the teaching of science and Information Computer and Technology in schools.

Amos Mumbere, a Senior Six student at Ntare School in Mbarara Town, was announced winner of the 2017 DStv Eutelsat Star Awards this week at Kampala Serena Hotel.
He won the essay writing category under the theme ‘How innovative use of the satellite technology in the fields of communication, earth navigation can propel Africa into the future’. The other category - the poster, was won by a Tanzanian student.

Awards
The seventh edition of the annual awards aimed at inspiring innovative thinking among secondary school students in Africa to create awareness on how science and technology can be applied to everyday life, as well as show the various ways that satellites are impacting on the development of the continent. The awards were being held in Uganda for the first time.
Speaking at the event, MultiChoice Uganda chairman Steven Musoke said Uganda has had the biggest number of continental winners of the star awards.

“Uganda has had the most continental winners and runner ups since the awards were launched in 2011,” he said.
The other national winners include; Henry Kirungi from St Mary’s College, Kisubi, who won the poster category, Elsa Mirembe from Gayaza High School, who was the first runner up in the poster category and Kevin Ngabonziza from Kibuli Secondary School, the first runner up, in the essay category.

Mr John Chrysestom Muyingo, the State minister for Higher Education, who represented Education minister Janet Kataha Museveni, said the ministry was committed to enhancing innovation through emphasising the teaching of science and Information Computer and Technology in schools.
“We are working to embrace ICT through incorporation of ICT in education across the curriculum. We are doing this through training teachers in ICT skills, installing ICT infrastructure in schools and building capacity of teachers to teach and support learners in their creative ventures,” he said.

Panel
The panel of judges included Paolo Nespoli, an astronaut from the Italian Space Agency, Prof Funso Falade, the Dean of Faculty of Engineering, University of Lagos, Mr Michael Niyitegeka, the country manager International Computer Driving Licence Africa, Mr Patrice Paquot, Eutelsat deputy regional vice-president for Sub-Saharan Africa as well as Ms Patricia Kiconco, operations manager MultiChoice Uganda.
Mr Mumbere called on everybody to dare to try saying if he had not dared himself, he would not have won.
He wins himself a trip with his parents to the French Guiana in Paris to watch a live rocket launch and the school wins a fully-paid Dstv learning kit for a year.

Other ugandan winners
Poster and essay:
Henry Kirungi from St Mary’s College, Kisubi, who won the poster category, Elsa Mirembe from Gayaza High School, who was the first runner up in the poster category and Kevin Ngabonziza from Kibuli Secondary School, the first runner up, in the essay category.