Pretty Manyewe
Cabinet this week approved the 2021 national e-learning strategy meant to curb learning disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The National e-Learning Strategy for Schools in Zimbabwe is part of the SMART Zimbabwe 2030 Masterplan which seeks to increase the use of ICT in the education sector regardless of geographical location or economic circumstances.
Addressing the media after this week’s Cabinet press briefing, the Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said that digital learning complements the traditional classroom learning by improving access to content and helps standardize learning.
“The 2021 National e-Learning Programme targets the connection of 1500 schools to the broadband, electrification of 434 schools, manufacturing of 150000 devices, development of mobile applications for use on the existing e-Learning management system within 45 days, capacitation of 3000 teachers with basic digital skills by December 2021 and the delivery of e-Learning though multimedia interactive materials,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa said the success of the online learning initiative for rural communities will be based on the expansion and upgrading of the broadband infrastructure, the acquisition of standardized gadgets for schools, the development and delivery of content, a federated approach to optimize and cut down on the cost of access, the importing of basic digital skills to educators and the availability of resources for the roll-out programme.
“The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) will continue to provide gadgets for schools under the Connect a School- Connect A community Programme that was formulated by the International Telecommunications Union,” she continued.
Minister Mutsvangwa said a number of schools have already benefited throughout the country’s ten provinces through the national model lab per school programme launched by the Government and under the programme each school is expected to be equipped with a computer lab comprising 41 networked computers, a server, a projector, a printer, a white board and connectivity.
The move by government will help rural schools to be able to adapt to the new concept of blended learning which has elements of online learning and physical learning
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