An artificial intelligence (AI)-powered personalized learning platform developed by two Senior Four students from St. Mary’s College Rushoroza in Kabale District has been ranked second nationally at the 2026 National STEM Science Fair held at the SESEMAT Grounds in Kololo.
The innovation earned St. Mary’s College Rushoroza the Silver Award at the national competition, highlighting the school’s growing excellence in science, technology and innovation.
Developed by 18-year-old students Agaba Samuel and Ibzan Johanan Kanyesigye, the platform, named Deglecy, is designed to improve access to quality education by providing personalized learning experiences for primary, secondary and university students through artificial intelligence and locally relevant educational content.
The idea for Deglecy was conceived during the COVID-19 pandemic, when prolonged school closures exposed the need for accessible digital learning solutions.
Unlike conventional AI tools that simply generate answers, Deglecy functions as a virtual teacher. It first assesses a learner’s level of understanding before providing personalized explanations, exercises, quizzes and progress tracking tailored to individual learning needs.
The platform offers courses in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and other subjects. It also provides access to past examination papers, downloadable PDF notes and other study materials that can be accessed both online and offline.
To address the challenge of unreliable internet connectivity in many parts of Uganda, the developers integrated offline learning capabilities. Students can download study materials while connected to the internet and continue learning without a connection. Interactive features such as video lessons and the AI tutor become available once the learner reconnects.
The developers said data security was a key priority during the platform’s development, noting that users’ information is protected through modern encryption technologies.
Agaba attributed his passion for technology to the encouragement he received from his father and elder brother while he was in Primary Five at Kabale Quality Primary School.
His co-founder, Ibzan Johanan Kanyesigye, said their vision is to build a world-class digital education platform developed by Ugandans for Ugandans.
He appealed to the government to support homegrown technological innovations through increased funding, research, improved internet infrastructure and stronger partnerships with schools.
St. Mary’s College Rushoroza represented the Kigezi Region alongside Kigezi High School, Bishop Comboni College and Kashenyi Secondary School in Rukungiri District. The overall winner of the national competition came from the Tooro Region.
The awards ceremony was officiated by Dr. Kedrace Turyagyenda, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Education and Sports, who commended all participating regions for promoting creativity and scientific innovation among learners.
She noted that 23 schools qualified for the national finals after emerging winners in their respective regional competitions.
“Uganda is steadily moving towards a competence-based curriculum that gives learners greater opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge, creativity and practical skills,” Dr. Turyagyenda said.
She added that the quality of student projects continues to improve every year, reflecting the growing emphasis on practical learning and problem-solving in schools.
Dr. Turyagyenda reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting science, technology and innovation, saying sustained investment in STEM education will nurture young talent and equip learners with the skills needed to solve real-life challenges.
For St. Mary’s College Rushoroza, the Silver Award marks another significant milestone and reinforces the school’s growing reputation as a centre of excellence in science, technology and innovation.
Education leaders in the Kigezi Sub-region hailed the achievement as a source of pride, saying it demonstrates the immense potential of Ugandan students to develop innovative solutions capable of transforming communities and expanding access to quality education across the country.
