By Johannah Nantongo
The Uganda Registration Services Bureau launched its 39th Technology and Innovation Support Centre at St. Joseph’s College Ombaci on Saturday to promote intellectual property awareness among students.
The center is the third of its kind established in a Ugandan secondary school, following similar initiatives at Comboni College Lira and Dr. Obote College Boroboro. The expansion is part of a national effort to protect and commercialize innovations developed by young learners.
Betty Otekat Akello, the resident city commissioner of Arua, officially opened the center. She said the initiative is a timely step in preparing a generation of students to create solutions and protect their ideas.
St. Joseph’s College Ombaci has a history of technical education dating back to the 1940s. The school has gained recognition for developing renewable energy innovations and an automatic fire detector.
James Tonny Lubwama, the assistant commissioner for patents and industrial designs at URSB, said the center will provide students with the tools and information needed to transform ideas into viable innovations.
The school’s headmaster, Charles Ondoga, said the facility will enhance the ability of students to research and protect their creative work.
The centers provide access to technical information and intellectual property resources, helping researchers and innovators across the country contribute to a knowledge-based economy. Rewrite that story to avoid copyright and give it a headline
Headline: URSB Expands Innovation Support Network to Secondary Schools with New Ombaci Center
The Uganda Registration Services Bureau has opened its 39th Technology and Innovation Support Centre at St. Joseph’s College Ombaci, marking another step in efforts to promote awareness of intellectual property among students.
This newly launched hub is the third of its kind in a Ugandan secondary school, following earlier establishments at Comboni College Lira and Dr. Obote College Boroboro. The initiative forms part of a broader national strategy aimed at nurturing young innovators and ensuring their ideas are protected and developed into marketable solutions.
The center was officially inaugurated by Betty Otekat Akello, who emphasized the importance of equipping students with the knowledge to generate and safeguard original ideas in an increasingly innovation-driven world.
Founded in the 1940s, St. Joseph’s College Ombaci has built a reputation for its focus on technical education, with students producing projects such as renewable energy systems and an automated fire detection device.
According to James Tonny Lubwama, the facility will give learners access to vital tools and information to help turn concepts into practical innovations. The school’s headteacher, Charles Ondoga, noted that the resource center will strengthen students’ research capabilities and support them in securing rights to their creations.
Technology and Innovation Support Centres across Uganda serve as key access points for technical knowledge and intellectual property services, enabling students, researchers, and innovators to contribute meaningfully to the country’s knowledge-based economy.
