Uganda’s Vice President, Jessica Alupo, has warned that technological advancement without strong ethical grounding could be harmful to society, urging graduates to combine innovation with integrity as the country’s education system embraces artificial intelligence.
Alupo made the remarks while presiding over the 16th graduation ceremony of St. Lawrence University, where she serves as chancellor. The ceremony, held on Thursday as the institution marked its 19th anniversary, saw more than 456 students awarded certificates, diplomas, bachelor’s degrees, postgraduate diplomas and master’s degrees.
Addressing the graduates, Alupo said universities must ensure that students become innovators and responsible leaders in the digital age rather than passive users of technology.
“We must ensure that our graduates are not merely consumers of technology but creators, innovators and ethical leaders in the age of artificial intelligence,” she said.
Global studies indicate that between 40 and 45 per cent of employees already use artificial intelligence in their daily work, with the number expected to grow rapidly. Education experts say the trend is forcing universities to rethink how students are taught.
A recent report by analysts from Bright Heart Education, a London-based special educational needs tutoring agency, notes that the future workforce will require skills such as creativity, critical thinking and digital literacy rather than reliance on memorised knowledge.
Alupo said Uganda’s education reforms are aligned with this global shift.
“The future demands graduates who think critically, create solutions and address real community challenges, not merely memorising content,” she said, adding that graduates must also reject corruption and serve their communities with integrity.
The VP noted that government policy has deliberately expanded access to higher education while encouraging private sector participation, allowing institutions such as St. Lawrence University to grow.
“Private universities have not replaced government efforts. Rather, they have complemented and strengthened them in the national interest,” she said.
Vice chancellor Dr Charles Masaba said the university is moving away from the traditional lecture-based model toward competency-based learning, where students are assessed on practical skills and real-world problem-solving.
“All academic programs at the university are now being redesigned around real-world competencies. Graduates will be judged by what they can do, not just what they know,” Masaba said.
He added that the university is strengthening training for lecturers to equip them with modern teaching approaches, digital tools and artificial intelligence applications.
“Lecturers will serve not merely as transmitters of content but as facilitators, mentors and coaches,” he said.
Guest speaker Dr Deo Apollo Musisi urged young people to develop hands-on abilities in emerging technologies such as drones, digital diagnostics and artificial intelligence.
He said technologies such as drone mapping, smart diagnostics and AI-driven services are already transforming sectors including agriculture, health and transport.
“We can map the whole of Kampala in just one hour using drones, transport medical supplies and even plant seeds using coordinated drone systems,” Musisi said.
