Online Reporter
Michelle Musandinyoze, Zimpapers Writer
NAMATI Family Trust has equipped 11 schools in Matobo District, Matabeleland South Province with Starlink Wi-Fi and other digital resources as part of efforts to complement the Government’s drive to digitalise rural communities and improve access to online learning, in line with Vision 2030.
The beneficiary schools are set to experience a major shift in teaching and learning, as the new internet connectivity opens access to digital textbooks, interactive lessons and global education platforms, replacing traditional methods of learning.
The handover ceremony, held at St Anna Primary School, one of the beneficiary institutions, was attended by learners, school representatives, officials from Starlink and the Namati Family Trust.
Namati Family Trust representative, Mr Alois Ndlovu, said the initiative was inspired by a desire to give back to the community where the Trust’s founders grew up more than five decades ago.
“There has been a shift in the metrics of literacy, which back then hinged on the ability to read and write. However, the advent of the digital age calls for connectivity and fluency in robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI), hence the need for the internet,” said Mr Ndlovu.
“The whole project is meant to bridge the digital divide in rural schools and empower teachers and pupils by building long-term digital learning capacity.”
The project, aptly named Vukuzenzele — meaning “wake up and do it for yourself” — seeks to promote self-empowerment through technology and marks the beginning of the digital capacitation of rural areas.
Mr Ndlovu said the initiative will also enable teacher-to-teacher knowledge transfer, inter-school live video collaborations, conferences and virtual lessons, while creating a lasting digital learning ecosystem in rural Zimbabwe.
“This gift to these communities is a digital education charm offensive, an unbridled and unfettered commitment to rekindling the Mbulayi and Namati vision in a modern form as we encourage communities to help themselves and prepare the next generation to step into the digital age,” he said.
District Schools Inspector, Mr Nicholas Moyo, commended the initiative for adopting a learner-centred approach that fosters critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving among pupils.
“Teachers will undergo six months of free training under Google Classroom, and all schools will have their own websites. St Anna Primary School will also pioneer a Robotics Club, expected to produce results within three months,” he said.
“Schools with an enrolment below 200 learners will each receive 10 robotics kits, while those with more than 200 pupils will receive 20 kits.”
The donation included 11 digital landline IP phones, 11 Starlink Wi-Fi kits with speeds of up to 400 Mbps, and the establishment of digital computer laboratories across all participating schools.
The Vukuzenzele Project was inspired by Mr Mbulayi Namati, a pioneering education enthusiast, who established a school at his homestead in the 1930s. The school was later taken over by Roman Catholic missionaries and relocated to its current site at St Anna Primary School.
Other beneficiary institutions include St Joseph Primary, Mqabuko Secondary, Guardian Angels Primary, Liningwe Primary, Bidi Primary, Nhlupho Primary and Secondary Schools and Zamanyoni Primary and Secondary Schools.
The initiative aligns with Vision 2030, which aims to transform the nation into an upper-middle-income economy. One of its key pillars is ICT-driven education, especially in rural areas, to ensure equitable access to digital learning.
The introduction of Starlink, a low-earth orbit satellite internet service, has accelerated rural connectivity efforts, bridging the gap where fibre networks are limited.
Government has also been working through the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) to promote universal access to internet services in schools, clinics and remote communities.
