Meet the Eight Schools Competing for the Multi-Million Cash Prize from Stanbic NSC

What the report says

Watchdog Uganda reports that the Stanbic National Schools Championship (NSC) has narrowed a field of nearly 1,000 school entrants to eight finalists who will compete in the grand finale scheduled for August 28, 2026. The schools advanced from 12 regional finalists after a week-long boot camp and appraisal process, with judges weighing the progress, viability, impact and potential of each team’s innovation.

According to the report, the competition offers a multi-million-shilling cash prize, but organizers say the larger goal is to help students develop practical solutions to community problems and build entrepreneurship, STEM and problem-solving skills. Diana Ondoga, Stanbic Bank’s Manager for Corporate Social Investment, said the program is part of the bank’s wider effort to support young innovators and future leaders. The report also notes that the 11th edition involved 913 schools and that many participants benefited from entrepreneurship and innovation training even if they did not reach the final stage.

The eight finalists are presenting projects in areas such as construction, agriculture, recycling and health. Among them are interlocking blocks made from plastic waste and sand, a sustainable organic farming initiative, a solar-powered irrigation system, a menstrual pain relief belt, a post-harvest cooler, a seed planting machine, a bottle-recycling reward system and an agro-feed processing machine.

The article places the competition within Stanbic’s long-running schools program, which has been held annually since 2016 and aligns with Uganda’s competency-based curriculum. More broadly, the initiative reflects a growing emphasis on youth innovation and practical learning as schools prepare students for future work and enterprise.