Zimbabwe rural schools face digital exclusion

Zimbabwe's education sector risks deepening inequality between urban and rural learners unless urgent investment is made in teacher digital skills, artificial intelligence (AI) training and rural technology infrastructure, the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) has warned.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Fourth Edition of the National Education Summit Zimbabwe (NESZ) 2026 in Bulawayo, Zimta chief executive officer Sifiso Ndlovu said the country's push towards digital education would collapse if teachers remained technologically underprepared.

Ndlovu said authorities and education stakeholders must move beyond the symbolic distribution of gadgets and focus instead on empowering teachers with practical digital competencies.

"In terms of continuous professional development for teachers, we are not simply talking about equipping them with gadgets, but equipping them with the knowledge and competencies to use those gadgets effectively," he said.

"The issues we are facing today are about teachers having the knowledge to access computers and use them effectively. This is exactly what we mean by knowledge proliferation around gadgets and understanding how to use them to help learners."

He said thousands of teachers, particularly in rural Zimbabwe, remain excluded from the digital transformation because schools lack computers, electricity and reliable internet access.

"What we currently have is a group of teachers who have not had access to computers because they are not even available in schools, and teachers cannot afford to buy computers using their personal resources," said Ndlovu.

"Now we are saying to schools: can you buy them? And when they do, we are saying to the Ministry of Education: can you capacitate teachers in terms of knowledge? This is the retooling we are talking about."

Ndlovu warned that Zimbabwe could not expect meaningful digital learning outcomes while teachers themselves struggled to engage with emerging technologies such as AI.

"Why are we not helping teachers in terms of artificial intelligence? This is a critical area because it is the ‘in thing' now and we cannot continue to have students who can interact with data while teachers cannot," he said.

"They cannot go into chat platforms and conduct research. The only thing we have been talking about is Google, which is now an outdated approach. Even programmes under Microsoft require enhancement and understanding."

He said digital literacy initiatives should also strengthen interaction among parents, teachers and learners through integrated online learning systems.

"What we are talking about here is a complete learning management system where parents, teachers and students can interact within a computerised or digitalised environment," he said.

To narrow the digital divide affecting rural schools, Ndlovu proposed the establishment of government-supported technology hubs servicing clusters of schools.

While acknowledging government efforts to distribute tablets to rural schools, he said many institutions still lacked electricity and internet connectivity, leaving some of the devices underutilised.

"We have seen a lot of distribution of tablets to schools in rural areas, but those schools are lacking energy," he said.

"So why don't we create, for example, a technology hub serving about five schools, where children can walk in and access computers fully supported through reliable energy and internet connectivity?"

Ndlovu said school development committees often lacked the financial muscle to independently establish and sustain such facilities.

"Why not have a government-centred hub developed as a starting point to help learners within an accessible vicinity? That is a recommendation we are making to the government," he said.

"Yes, we have seen efforts towards connectivity in schools and where there is no connectivity, steps are being taken to address that. But we must move faster in connecting computers and helping teachers and learners access these digital spaces."

National Education Summit Zimbabwe chief executive officer Violet Nkathazo said digital transformation remained central to discussions at the summit.

She said the gathering aimed to strengthen partnerships between government, development partners and the private sector to improve digital learning capacity across schools.

"Part of the objective of the summit is to see how best we can work together as the private sector with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to enhance digital skills and build capacity not just for teachers, but also for schools," said Nkathazo.

"We want teachers to be able to effectively instruct learners while ensuring schools have the necessary digital infrastructure to prepare students to compete in the global economy."

Nkathazo said collaboration among stakeholders would be critical in improving educational outcomes and ensuring schools are adequately equipped for modern learning demands.

Held under the theme, "From Policy to Practice: Driving Innovation and Investment in Zimbabwe's Education System," the summit brought together policymakers, educators, financiers, development partners and private sector players to discuss strategies for strengthening Zimbabwe's education sector.

The summit was convened by Action for Empowerment Zimbabwe in partnership with Business Diary and in collaboration with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.