11 Aug 2021

The Ministry of Basic Education, in collaboration with various partners and through the Schools Digitalisation Project, is working on connecting schools to high speed Internet, Assistant Minister Nnaniki Makwinja has told Parliament.

Responding to a question on Monday, Ms Makwinja said the ministry had partnered with, among the partners, the Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) Universal Access and Service Fund on the project.

She said the project entailed procuring ICT devices for learners and teachers, capacity building for teachers to use ICT as well as development and sourcing of e-content.

That, she said, would enable schools, including Shoshong Senior Secondary School to pursue e-learning, adding that the plan was to ready all senior secondary schools for e-learning during the 2021/2022 financial year.

However, she said the project was currently at tender evaluation stage, adding that senior secondary schools would be connected to high speed Internet in the current financial year as part of the SmarBOTS village connectivity project.

“The availability of Internet and ICT devices will support teaching, learning and research at Shoshong senior and other senior secondary schools,” she said.

Again, she said the digitisation project endeavoured to transform delivery of education by enhancing the availability of technology to allow ICT integration in teaching and learning.

Ms Makwinja said through the project, teaching would be possible through virtual media.

“Teachers will also be provided with computer devices which will have the ability to link directly to learners and other teachers to support ICT enabled teaching and learning, thereby eliminating the need for all classrooms to be equipped with overhead multimedia projectors,” she said.

In addition, she said teachers may also use such devices for classroom lessons.
Shoshong MP, Mr Aubrey Lesaso had wanted to know when Shoshong SSS would become a fully-fledged e-learning institution.

Mr Lesaso also wanted to know if the minister would consider equipping the school with computers to allow for research and access to Internet by learners.

The minister was further asked if the ministry would consider introducing virtual teaching using Zoom or Webex or other forms of locally developed virtual reality communication and teaching aid, particularly during the era of COVID-19 and other challenges affecting learning. ENDS