Govt urged to increase e-learning budget

GOVERNMENT should consider increasing the budget for e-learning in schools because it is now a basic need for pupils.

This was revealed by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on ICT, Postal and Courier Services acting chairperson Trevor Saruwaka during a fact-finding mission at Sakubva High 1 School in Mutare yesterday.

The fact-finding mission was meant to assess and verify the extent of computerisation in schools and to appreciate the challenges being faced.

MPs were accompanied by Postal, Telecommunications and Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) spokesperson George Manyaya.

Potraz has been donating computers to schools around the country.

"We are happy to see Potraz computers at schools we have so far toured. Some schools are taking great care of the computers, but we realised that in some schools they are not maintaining them well," Saruwaka said.

"Some schools are also struggling to pay for internet services due to skyrocketing prices. Some areas are asking for more computers and government should consider increasing the budget so that we have an optimum computer:student ratio," he added.

The committee has so far toured three provinces — Mashonaland East, Masvingo and Manicaland.

Manyaya told the legislators and Sakubva Secondary School authorities that government, through Potraz, remains committed to bridging the digital gap.

"The computers have been put to good use and we are happy that the pass rates have improved in most schools and we want to thank Parliament for its oversight role," he said.

"Through government, we have so far given 10 000 computers to schools and it's an ongoing exercise. Potraz is on a mission to connect the unconnected to the world."