Stanbic extends schools championship deadline to unlock youth innovation

Stanbic Bank has extended the entry deadline for its National Schools Championship to 29 March 2026, giving more secondary and vocational schools the chance to participate.

The extension comes at a critical moment for a country where nearly 70 per cent of the population is under 24, yet youth unemployment remains persistently high.

The championship seeks to address this gap by recognising that many young people already possess the ideas, creativity and problem-solving instincts needed to shape Uganda's future.

This year's competition carries the theme Powering Innovation for Job Creation, with a call to participating schools to Flex Your Genius—an invitation to move beyond academic performance and bring forward ideas with real-world relevance.

Schools will take on a structured innovation challenge, supported by practical toolkits and guided materials designed to help students refine their business concepts ahead of a bootcamp.

Top-performing students and teachers will earn places at a five-day residential business bootcamp, where they will further develop their entrepreneurial skills. A combined prize pool of UGX 100 million awaits outstanding schools, teachers and alumni, rewarding both effort and measurable impact.

According to Stanbic Bank, the championship is more than a competition—it is a platform for possibility, offering young Ugandans the guidance, exposure and support needed to transform their potential into tangible opportunity. Schools are encouraged to act promptly to secure their participation before the deadline.