HARARE
–
The
government
has
begun
distributing
Starlink
satellite
internet
kits
to
about
8,000
primary
and
secondary
schools
without
fibre
connectivity,
officials
said
on
Wednesday.
The
equipment
was
handed
over
to
Primary
and
Secondary
Education
Minister
Torerayi
Moyo
by
his
Information
Communication
Technology
counterpart
Tatenda
Mavetera
under
the
so-called
Presidential
Internet
Scheme.
Mavetera
said
the
initiative
was
intended
to
close
the
digital
divide
in
the
education
sector,
particularly
for
schools
in
remote
and
underserved
areas.
“This
is
not
merely
a
ceremonial
exchange
of
equipment,
but
a
strategic
intervention
aimed
at
building
an
inclusive,
digitally
empowered
education
system
that
leaves
no
learner
behind,”
Mavetera
said.
“Our
two
ministries
are
working
closely
together
to
pursue
a
whole-of-government
approach,
ensuring
that
education
and
digital
technology
converge
to
transform
our
learners
into
confident
digital
citizens.”
She
described
the
rollout
as
“a
massive
leap
forward”
in
tackling
longstanding
connectivity
challenges
in
Zimbabwe’s
education
system.
“For
too
long,
geography
has
determined
opportunity,”
Mavetera
added.
According
to
government
figures
released
in
2021,
Zimbabwe
had
6,798
primary
schools
and
2,980
secondary
schools
at
the
time,
with
authorities
launching
an
ambitious
programme
to
construct
3,000
additional
schools
by
2025.
However,
it
remained
unclear
how
the
Starlink
kits
would
be
powered,
as
many
of
the
targeted
remote
schools
have
no
access
to
electricity.
Solar
power
is
widely
viewed
as
the
most
viable
option,
but
neither
ministry
indicated
whether
funding
had
been
secured
for
such
installations.
The
Starlink
kits
are
believed
to
have
been
supplied
by
ICM
Communications,
a
company
owned
by
controversial
businessman
Wicknell
Chivayo.
Chivayo
disclosed
last
year
that
he
had
signed
contracts
with
the
ICT
ministry
worth
US$200
million
as
an
“internet
service
provider.”