The Sunday News
Mthabisi Tshuma in Masvingo
THE City of Masvingo has received a major boost in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector after various schools were equipped with ICT materials with the network connectivity status also being spruced up through the setting up of a base station.
On Thursday, seven schools around the city tapped into the digital space as computer laboratories were set up at the schools and have unlimited internet access.
Schools that benefited include Rujeko Primary School, Ndarama High School, Kapota School of the Blind, Vurombo Primary School, Mucheke High School, Victoria Primary
School and Masvingo Day Primary School. A network booster was also commissioned.
The District Development Co-ordinator’s (DDC) office was also equipped with a Public Finance Management Kiosk which will enable public servants to access data on public finance in Masvingo.
Surrounding communities and schools in Masvingo also received donations of laptops, exercise books, crayons, sharpeners, hospital blankets and a wheelchair.
The projects were spearheaded through partnerships from the ICT Ministry, Netone, Telone, Zimpost and Potraz.
Addressing delegates after the tour and launch of the ICT labs and the commissioning of the base station, ICT, Postal and Courier Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said the establishment of computer labs, upscaling of network connectivity and digitising the documents of Government was a move meant to achieve Vision 2030.
“It is a great privilege and honour to stand before you today, as we have just officially commissioned the Gava Musungwa Zvinavashe Brigade Base Station, five ICT School labs as well as the Masvingo Public Finance Management Kiosk.
As a ministry, our resolve to create an enabling environment for a digital economy, is strengthened by the visionary leadership of His Excellency, The Commander in Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.
The Zimbabwean government’s Vision 2030 embeds Information and Communication Technology (ICT) across all national development strategies as an enabling tool for development, targeting to increase investment in ICT development to enable universal access by 2030,” said Minister Muswere.
Minister Muswere said the world was being driven by innovation, information and communication technologies, as such ICTs have become key fundamentals in the attainment of Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030, and becoming an upper middle-income economy.
“The role of players such as Potraz and NetOne is critical towards attaining a prosperous and empowered upper middle-income society by 2030.
The need for economies to pursue a digital transformation agenda has become ever more vital.
The digital economy is stated as an important national priority underpinning the national development strategy for the period 2021 to 2025, as we strive to be part of the upper-middle income society by 2030,” said Minister Muswere.
He said the setting up of the base station will intensify the drive towards a digital economy in the community and the nation at large.
“Connectivity which is not backed by the development of e-skills is a nullity which can only be remedied by equipping ourselves with e-skills and there is no better place to start than with capacitating learners with ICT equipment as we have done today with these five schools.
“We have not forgotten the huge task of supervising the devolution agenda here in Masvingo Province as we have also commissioned the Public Finance Management Kiosk which will assist Public Servants to access data on Public Finance in Masvingo,” said Minister Muswere.
NetOne chief executive officer Engineer Raphael Mushanawani said the Masvingo base station was of strategic importance as it dovetails with the mandate of the Ministry of ICT Postal and Courier services, to connect the unconnected and to improve access to ICTs.
“Access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) has become a key economy indicator.
With our exceptional product and service offerings, lives will be transformed and communities developed.
It is without doubt that indeed information communication technology is the backbone of the new normal.
The nation and the world at large witnessed the critical role that information communication technology played when Covid-19 threatened to bring business to a halt,” said Engineer Mushanawani.
Engineer Mushanawani said the recently launched NMBB Phase lll Project will see NetOne increasing its footprint through the installation of 345 base stations thereby providing nationwide access to ICTs to all Zimbabweans.
“We are grateful to the Government of the Second Republic of Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Information Communication Technologies and Courier Services for facilitating funding for network expansion projects.
The deployment of the 3G/4G network at Masvingo 4 Brigade has proved that ICT technologies can improve user experience.
ICTs offers an opportunity for NetOne to reconnect and rebuild communities into the future. Masvingo 4 Brigade Base Station will bring with it many downstream benefits.
NetOne has been continuously enhancing its product and services portfolio to suit the lifestyle of its customers,” said Engineer Mushanawani.
– @mthabisi_mthire.
