ICTs transform all economic sectors

Ivan Zhakata

Herald Correspondent

Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) are transforming all sectors of the economy as acknowledged in the National Development Strategy (NDS1), permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, Dr Beaullah Chirume, has said.

Dr Chirume said ICTs were a key enabler of the country’s socio-economic activities and economic development at large.

The Government is making efforts to ensure Zimbabwe achieves a digital economy by 2030, in line with President Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030 of an empowered upper-middle income society.

The NDS1 also emphasises that the digital economy is one of the 14 national priorities for the period 2021 to 2025.

“As an enabler of the socio-economic activities, ICTs are transforming all sectors in the economy as acknowledged in the National Development Strategy (NDS1),” said Dr Chirume.

She said President Mnangagwa mandated the Ministry of ICT, Postal and Courier Services to embark or spearhead on the smart learning initiative.

“He did not tell us to work alone, he told us to work with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and all the stakeholders so we are working as one Government to make sure that all our things go well.

“We have witnessed that there are no long queues for those applying for passports at the Civil Registry, and even if we also look at the agricultural sector and the education sector, everything is going digital. The President is saying that the attainment of a digital economy is the thrust of the country and to make sure that no one and no place is left behind,” said Dr Chirume.

She said Vision 2030 of a digital economy can only be achieved if we have a digitally literate population and there is no better place to begin this rather than local learners and teachers in schools.

“If we work together in this digital journey, we will reach where we want to be. In line with the President’s thrust that ‘Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/ Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo’ we also think that ICTs contribute to the building of this nation.

“Let us use ICTs to build our country. This is the only nation that we have,” she said.