Eight schools have qualified for the grand finale of the 2026 Stanbic National Schools Championship (NSC), after emerging from a field of 913 participating schools in a nationwide innovation and entrepreneurship competition.
The finalists will compete on August 28, 2026, for a multi-million-shilling cash prize and the opportunity to showcase innovative solutions to some of Uganda’s most pressing social, environmental and economic challenges.
The Stanbic NSC, which has been held annually since 2016, seeks to identify and nurture young entrepreneurs, innovators and future leaders by giving secondary school students an opportunity to develop practical solutions to challenges in their communities.
Diana Ondoga, Stanbic Bank’s Manager for Corporate Social Investment (CSI), said the programme is intended to equip young people with skills that will be relevant to Uganda’s future workforce.
“We see this programme as our contribution to building Uganda’s next entrepreneurs, employees and leaders. In this year’s 11th edition, Stanbic Bank engaged 913 participating schools through a nationwide innovation challenge,” Ondoga said.
She said students were challenged to identify practical problems and develop solutions before entering the boot camp selection stage.
According to Ondoga, between 90 and 95 percent of participating schools benefited directly from entrepreneurship and innovation training, regardless of whether they progressed to the boot camp.
The championship also supports Uganda’s competency-based curriculum by promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and problem-solving skills.
Following a competitive one-week boot camp hosted by Gayaza High School in May, 12 regional finalist teams advanced to the appraisal stage.
The selected schools received seed capital to further develop and refine their business ideas. Their progress, viability, potential impact and sustainability were subsequently assessed to determine the eight teams that qualified for the grand finale.
Ondoga said the competition was particularly significant as Stanbic Bank marks 35 years of operations in Uganda.
“As Stanbic marks 35 years of operations in Uganda, the National Schools Championship provides a powerful demonstration of its belief that Uganda’s growth is inseparable from the growth of its people and that investing in young innovators today is an investment in the entrepreneurs, employees, leaders and problem-solvers who will drive Uganda’s growth tomorrow,” she said.
Students tackle real-world challenges
The eight finalists have developed projects spanning construction, agriculture, environmental conservation, waste management, healthcare and technology.
Aga Khan High School is developing Renewablock Interlocking Blocks, which combines plastic waste with sand to produce durable interlocking bricks. The innovation seeks to provide an affordable alternative construction material while reducing plastic pollution.
John Arinaitwe, a Senior Five student, said the project is intended to make better-quality housing more accessible to people across different income groups.
St Kizito High School, Namugongo, is presenting Tunza Organics, an agribusiness project focused on sustainable food production, value addition and reducing food waste within the school community.
Senior Five student Barbra Ntunde said the project had encouraged students to embrace new ideas and recognise the importance of environmental conservation.
Project coordinator and English teacher Florence Nambejja Kikomeko said the initiative could also create employment opportunities for students who acquire entrepreneurial skills through the programme.
Kyebambe Girls Secondary School is competing with a Smart Solar Irrigation System designed to provide affordable and sustainable irrigation for vegetable farmers.
The solar-powered system automatically regulates water delivery according to crop requirements, with the aim of reducing water wastage and manual labour.
Marian Owembabazi said the team had already developed a functioning prototype, although work on the system was still ongoing.
St Theresa Girls Secondary School, Nsenyi, has developed the Terra Menstrual Pain Relief Belt, a wearable device designed to help women manage menstrual pain.
Senior Two student Catherine Kabhogwe said the team hoped the innovation could eventually reach users beyond Uganda.
Iganga Secondary School has developed the Iga Bank Cooler, a post-harvest storage and preservation solution aimed at helping small-scale vegetable farmers and market vendors reduce food spoilage and financial losses.
The project addresses challenges faced by farmers in eastern Uganda, an important agricultural production zone for crops including coffee, bananas, vegetables, rice, maize and groundnuts.
Team member Bartha Okurut highlighted the financial losses farmers can suffer when large quantities of harvested produce spoil before reaching the market.
Kakira Secondary School is presenting a Seed Planting Machine, an agritech innovation designed to provide small-scale farmers and out-growers with an affordable and efficient planting solution.
The students said traditional planting methods can be labour-intensive, with farmers sometimes spending up to eight hours planting an acre and paying about Shs60,000 for casual labour.
Senior Two student Splendour Tusabe said the team developed the machine to help farmers save time and reduce production costs.
Bishop Dunstan Nsubuga Memorial Secondary School is showcasing BFC Eco-Drop (Bottle for Cash), a smart recycling machine designed to encourage proper disposal of plastic bottles by rewarding users.
The machine allows users to deposit plastic bottles into a collection unit, which verifies the disposal and credits a small monetary reward to a linked digital account.
The project combines technology and financial incentives to encourage responsible waste management.
Sedes Sapientiae Academiae students have developed an agro-feed processing machine aimed at helping poultry farmers produce feed more affordably.
Team member Steven Turyamwesiimire said many farmers have access to raw materials for poultry feed but lack affordable equipment to process them.
He said the machine could help farmers produce feed at home, reducing feeding costs and improving profitability.
As the eight schools prepare for the August 28 finale, the championship continues to provide a platform for students to identify challenges in their communities and develop practical responses.
Beyond the competition itself, the programme seeks to promote entrepreneurship, innovation and problem-solving among young Ugandans while giving them exposure to business development, mentorship and the realities of turning ideas into viable enterprises.
