Uganda

Uganda is one of the most populous countries in East Africa, and boasts an increasingly large youth population. While the country is seen as markedly entrepreneurial, the challenge of youth unemployment still looms large. Uganda has, in recent years, set a path for increasing the digital skills of its population and has launched a number of e-services to make the delivery of public services more effective and accessible.

Estonia works to contribute to Uganda’s development plans, set forth by Uganda’s “Vision 2040”. Digitalisation has been a major catalyst for this vision, and in search of solutions, Uganda is looking to Estonia for guidance in building a successful e-government.

Top priorities in Uganda are improving the quality of education, strengthening the private sector, creating jobs, and developing infrastructure and agriculture. Working together with international organisations, local civil society organisations, and the public sector, ESTDEV contributes to education, teacher training, and digital transformation in Uganda.

Many digital solutions are already in use in the Ugandan education system, and it is crucial to ensure evidence-based decision-making as the country revolutionizes this system. This creates a real need for assistance in data collection, management, and analysis. Helping to improve the quality of the IT workforce is another of ESTDEV’s goals, and in working alongside local partners, this will also help increase the development and usability of the country’s e-services in the long run.

At the end of 2022, the Ugandan Ministry of Education and Sports requested that ESTDEV propose a plan for a national education qualifications framework using Estonian knowledge and experiences. ESTDEV sent experts to Uganda, who mapped the current situation and proposed a pathway for framework development. Now, with ESTDEV’s support, a working group is operating in Uganda to create a national qualifications framework that is inspired by Estonian experience and practice. This framework will create opportunities for Ugandan students to move equitably between different education levels and fields, as well as between regions and institutions, and will match educational offerings with the needs of employers.

From 2009–2023, Estonia supported Uganda through a number of development cooperation and humanitarian aid projects, amounting to nearly two million euros in development assistance and 19 enacted projects. As of September 1, 2023, there is one project active in Uganda that focus in promoting education and the digital competencies program.

Priority Areas of Estonian Development Cooperation in Uganda

• Digital transformation – assessing national digital maturity and preparing a corresponding roadmap, which includes the development of existing and new e-government tools and e-services
• Entrepreneurship – developing a start-up ecosystem and increasing 21st-century skills among young people, increasing the competitiveness of women and young people in the labor market, and introducing digital opportunities through evolving skill sets
• Education – providing e-learning solutions, making e-learning materials more accessible, and developing digital skills