Zimbabwe’s education sector has received a digital boost after a local web development company E-Learning Technologies partnered government to introduce websites for over 645 schools across the country.
As part of government’s efforts to fully implement its e-learning program across the country, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology Development has roped in private players who are assisting in the provision of various services such as computer literacy training for school teachers, website development and programming of educational applications.
The latest player to make a difference is E-Learning Technologies, a local startup which has invested heavily in the development of websites for both local primary and secondary schools.
Speaking to Timothy Shava the founder of the company, he said “E-Learning Technologies specializes in designing and hosting school websites.There are 9300 both primary secondary schools in Zimbabwe and up to date we have managed to register 645 schools and 370 of them now have live websites which are now publicly accessible online”
E-Learning Technologies was contracted by the Zimbabwe ICT Teachers Association (ZICTTA) to deliver various information technology training services which later included registering school domains, designing of school websites, create web hosting packages, installation of WordPress and customization of the websites.
Shava revealed that the costs for launching a website is pegged at $500 per school. As part of the company’s value added services, they have also started training ZIMSEC Computer Science candidates through various e-learning programs implemented in the new curriculum guidelines.
Despite making strides in putting schools online, Shava however highlighted that they still face some daunting challenges which include poor internet connectivity in rural school hence the schools will default to pay hosting package.
He further mentioned that lack of computer literacy as most teachers are not computer literate and they are not able to open the browser hence they see no value of a websites. Also lack of resources like internet connectivity and enough computers many rural schools is also slowing the total introduction of websites across the country.
