The Zimbabwean government has approved the deployment of 8,000 Starlink internet kits to primary and secondary schools as part of a nationwide effort to expand internet access, especially in remote and underserved areas.
Authorities said the initiative is designed to ensure connectivity for schools across the country.
The Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies officially handed over the equipment to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, ICT Minister Tatenda Mavetera said the program is intended to reduce the digital divide and give learners throughout Zimbabwe access to affordable and reliable internet services.
In a statement posted on X, the Ministry of ICT said that “this initiative should strengthen digital learning, improve access to global educational resources, and prepare students to participate competitively in the digital economy.”
The ministry added that the project aligns with broader government efforts to modernize the education sector and promote inclusive access to information and communication technologies.
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According to We are Tech Africa, Zimbabwe is already participating in the GIGA project, a joint initiative by the International Telecommunication Union and UNICEF aimed at connecting all schools worldwide to the internet.
Official data cited by GIGA in March 2025 showed that 3,500 of Zimbabwe’s estimated 7,000 schools already have internet access.
The ITU has committed to working with national authorities to identify the most efficient and cost-effective connectivity options for the remaining schools.
Despite the widely recognized potential of ICT to improve education systems, including acknowledgment from institutions such as UNESCO, the use of Starlink’s satellite technology has raised some concerns.
These include whether schools have enough devices such as computers, tablets, or smartphones, the level of teachers’ digital skills, access to electricity, the suitability of digital learning content, and the long-term sustainability of the initiative, given that Starlink operates on a monthly subscription model.
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Image Credit: TechAfrica News
