The government has delivered Starlink kits to rural schools in Matabeleland North and South provinces where learners had no access to internet services to conduct their research.
Lack of internet access has been blamed for the poor rate, with some rural schools in the region recording zero pass rates in their final year examinations.
In 2012, the late president Robert Mugabe launched a national e-learning programme aimed at improving the education sector through internet learning at primary and secondary school level.
However, this did little to bridge the digital divide because of lack of internet connectivity.
There were also reports of theft of some of these computers by the teaching staff as they were lying idle.
Information, Communication, Technology (ICT) minister Tatenda Mavetera told the Senate recently that the government was now distributing Starlink kits to previously marginalised schools in the region.
“We are issuing out Starlink, which is a little bit cheaper,” Mavetera said.
“Recently, we were in Gokwe, Tshelanyemba and Mawabeni in Matabeleland South province.
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“We were giving out Starlink in schools in all those areas.
“In those areas, they do not have fibre cable, so TelOne internet does not reach them.
“So, we are supplying Starlink in all areas where there is no fibre.”
Mavetera was responding to senators, who asked to reveal what her ministry was doing to bridge the digital divide between rural and urban learners.
Senators said rural learners were disadvantaged when it comes to conducting research for the new heritage-based curriculum.
Mavetera also said there were plans under the Presidential Internet Scheme to install free Wi-Fi in schools.
“This is what we are planning so that everyone gets access to WiFi which is cheap and reliable,” she said.
“That is our biggest wish and we are continuing to embark on that because we want everyone to access cheap data so that we achieve a digitalised Zimbabwe in 2030.”
