Samsung Electronics has vowed to make learning in Uganda’s universities “smart” in 2013. The South Korean firm is working on a partnership that will see students in the country’s major colleges do their assignments using its gadgets.
Simon Kariithi, Samsung Electronics Sales Director, said the firm is already finalizing negotiations with Makerere University and other institutions in Uganda.
“The initiative will see postgraduate students from the institutions access academic materials, course works and class notes, using Samsung Galaxy Tabs,” Kariithi said.
The partnership will later be rolled to the university students across the country to enable them “to sign in lecturers even when they are miles away” or hand in their research work “live from the field.”
Kariithi says the partnership is crucial for students as they are able to download and use several applications as well their lecturers’ academic materials. Students can also easily interact with their counterparts.
This will come in handy to postgraduate students who have to juggle work, research and class attendance at the same time.
The students will benefit from SMS updates from their instructors on class schedules, discussions and presentations.
The technology doesn’t do away with lecturers or lectures but is set to make their work easier, Samsung noted.
According to the Economist White Paper, technology is changing the way students learn and how teachers teach with a 63 percent shift from the traditional ways. It in addition attracts more learners to education.
Kariithi however says the cost of technology discourages its uptake.
“Government ought to reduce taxes to make them affordable,” Kariithi said.
An earlier GSMA report highlighted Uganda’s high VAT on mobile services and handsets compared to its regional counterparts.
Samsung Galaxy Tabs in Uganda retail at around US$530, which could equally be used to clear school fees at the country’s top universities.
Samsung has a similar initiative in Kenya with Strathmore University where it customized its Galaxy 10.1 tablets with preloaded lecture schedules, files and videos.
The electronic giant’s initiative in Uganda is set to begin early next year.
