Media Entrepreneur and respected businessman Arinaitwe Rugyendo is convinced the 83% youth unemployment crisis in Uganda can be reversed through the extensively engaging young brains with a broad range of Science, Technology, Engineering, Entrepreneurship and Math (STEM).
The veteran journalist is spearheading a programme codenamed ‘Young Engineers, Kampala Uganda*’ which is expected to focus on the importance of STEM education to the economic future of Uganda.
President Museveni has for some years in a quest to scientificify Uganda by preaching to a generation that cannot change course. They are already ‘dead’ thus focus must be on 5-15 year-olds in order to cause a holistic scientific revolution in Uganda in the next 20 years.
Young Engineers* is currently piloting in the Nakawa, Ntinda, Kira, Bugolobi, Kiwatule and Naalya areas with a functional centre on Plot 1225, Naalya – Namugongo Road.
Their programs include after-school enrichment classes, pre-school classes, summer camps, birthday parties and special events where children are given an opportunity to LEARN while having FUN building with the world’s favorite building block – LEGO*.
He said: ‘We will work with many schools and the Ministry of Education and Sports throughout the area and beyond to provide Ugandan children an opportunity to experience first hand these wonderful programs like their age mates in Israel, United States, Canada, Japan, China, Italy, UK and South Africa.’
‘We intend to use our feedback to design a model that will be spread around the country so that more children can be reached and modelled early enough to appreciate science and technology in their future careers so that they are not be castigated for having done the wrong courses.’
Rugyendo is also helping curb unemployment among the youth as the chairman Uganda Premier League now intends mid this month to take on a journey to discovering more about this STEM programme, how it will change Uganda for good and specifically how more Ugandan children can be part of it in order to become the generation of scientists using the skills Young Engineers programme will impart them.
‘We intend to launch this programme in Uganda in January next year as a co-curricular activity in schools especially those that are hosting underrepresented children, once all the statutory requirements have been fulfilled.’
Research has shown that children on STEM programmes tend to appreciate and perform better in science and technology-related subjects than those that are not.
