adminWalter Nyamukondiwa Chinhoyi Bureau
Government has started rolling out “containerised” community information centres in remote parts of the country to improve access to technology for people. The pilot phase of the programme will see up to 24 information communication and technology centres established across the country.
The new rural ICT centres will not be brick-and-mortar facilities, but they will be established in special containers. In an interview recently, Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (Potraz) director-general Gift Muchengete said the move was aimed at reducing the technology divide between urban and rural areas.
“When you look at our post offices, they are mainly in towns and some are in townships out there, but we do not have community information centres in villages. It might not be worth it to start building structures in the villages,” he said.
“So we have decided that in such areas where we believe there is enough traffic to justify action, we just put a containerised community information centre.”
It is envisaged that the information centres could provide a dual role of not only providing access to information, but providing postal services as well. Government has been converting underused post offices into community information centres as part of improving access to technology.
Internet access is still low in most rural communities. It is believed that the new thrust will help complement Government’s efforts to broaden the country’s education system to include ICTs. Most services are now riding on ICTs and rural communities are being left behind owing to limited access to the products.
Presently, most people walk long distances to access ICT services, most of which are located at growth points and business centres.
Online Reporter