Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Minister, Jenfan Muswere says the government recently launched an e-learning strategy for schools that will enable learners to compensate for the disruption caused by the Covid -19 lockdown.
Minister Muswere said this in a speech to commemorate World Telecommunications and Information Society Day.
“Government recently launched the national e-learning strategy for schools to complement traditional forms of learning, to mitigate disruptions to the education sector caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
The Minister however said the internet in the country is expensive especially for disadvantaged school children and therefore called upon network service providers to make internet affordable for every student.
“As we move along with implementation of the e-learning programme, we have noted that a number of schools are finding it difficult to fund their respective e-learning programmes on account of the unaffordable internet bandwidth.
“I call upon the network service providers to look for a sustainable solution to the affordability challenge bedevilling our schools, in particular rural schools,” he said, adding that COVID-19 restrictions had resulted in a surge in the use of the internet among citizens due to the growing need for provision of services online.
Minister Muswere urged the education sector to embrace e- learning just like other sectors as it has become the only way for societies to safely interact in this pandemic.
“As evidenced in the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the fore the importance of ICTs in all aspects of life as they have kept societies and economies functional and to some extent sustainable.
“This has, however, resulted in an unparalleled surge in the use of the internet in providing e-services, which include learning, shopping, worshipping and acquiring health services, among others,” Minister Muswere said.
World Information Society Day
