Ministry admits it struggles to fund student innovation

Monitor 13 May 2023

Several universities in the country have come up with innovations meant to improve the lives of Ugandans. However, funding from the government has been low and many end up disappearing. Government’s ‘empty commitment’ to fully funding innovation initiatives is a constant cause for concern in mainly public institutions of higher learning, writes Busein Samilu for Monitor.

Dr Monica Musenero, the minister of science, technology and innovation, said while they would love to support all students’ innovations across the country, the ministry remains constrained by limited funding. During a recent interview, she said her ministry has only received 33% of its total UGX247 billion (US$66 million) budget, “yet we are already in quarter three … We are not sure whether we shall have any money in the coming financial year,” she said. “Just that we are utilising the little we have; we would have taken on a lot more projects by now if the money we budgeted for was released on time.”

The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation was established in June 2016 and later moved to the Office of the President in June 2021, with a mandate of providing guidance and coordination for scientific research and development in national innovation. It executes its mandate through four programmes including the science, technology and innovation regulation; research and innovation; science entrepreneurship, and general administration and planning.
Full report on the Monitor site

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