By Dumisani Ndlovu
Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently donated 250 computers to 10 schools in his home area, Midlands Province, last Thursday.
Mnangagwa made the donation after addressing a bumper crowd at Somabhula Secondary School, where he donated 30 computers to the host school while a local Somabhula primary school equally offered 30 computers and Somabhula clinic benefitted 5 computers, all reportedly connected to the state -of-the-art Fibre Optic Backbone internet facility.
Speaking at a short briefing attended by some Senior Government officials, Somambhula Secondary School staff and pupils, President Emmerson Managagwa advised students from Somabhula and other schools to take advantage of the internet in order to necessitate a shift from traditional classroom settings to more flexible, technology-driven educational models.
“You students here and others from other schools should consider yourself-luck, those who came before you did not have the chance to access this type of technology. But above all, to have a President at this school, “he said to a deafening round of applause.
The donated technology, he said seeks to mitigate digital divide by ensuring that rural schools are not left behind in the digital era.
President Mnangagwa said during his time at school, 60 years ago, they were disadvantaged because of lack of technology, hence, he said by providing computers and state-of-the-art ICT equipment, the initiative aims to prepare Zimbabwean students for the demands of the modern workforce, fostering skills such as problem-solving, creativity, and digital literacy.
“During our time at school, we had teachers writing on the black board, we were forced to write notes very fast and before you finish, the tutor could rub off but with these computers you are made more advanced,” he said.
President Mnangagwa also donated 10 computers each to Mutya primary school in Chirumhanzu, Mavanga Primary school,Gokwe North, Gwamure Secondary School, Gokwe South, Gomo primary school, Gweru, Zibomvu secondary school, Kwekwe, Chabwira Secondary School in Mberengwa, Chizungu High school, Mberengwa, Riverside Primary School,Gweru, Kushinga Secondary School,Shurugwi, Chivizvina Secondary School, Zvishavane, Nashville High School, Gweru, and Chiedza primary school in Kwekwe.
The donation of computers and relevant accessories to various rural and urban schools across Midlands was however received with mixed feelings with some believing it marks a significant step towards integrating Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in education.
Although the initiative, seems as part of the broader government effort to infuse digital technologies into the learning process, underscoring Zimbabwe’s commitment to leveraging ICT for educational advancement and socio-economic development, some people interviewed by this reporter muted criticism of the donations citing that not all schools have electricity, saying schools like Somabhula Secondary school and others in districts like Mberengwa and Gokwe have no electricity or computer teachers and in some cases the computers end up lain idle or stolen.
