Airtel, British Council introduce IT hubs in Malawi primary schools

Pupils busy in an IT lab at St Mathews Primary....Photo Jeromy Kadewere
Pupils busy in an IT lab at St Mathews Primary….Photo Jeromy Kadewere
British Council Director Reena Johl.....photo jeromy Kadewere
British Council Director Reena Johl…..photo jeromy Kadewere
Chikwawa District Education manager  Thomas Mbwembwe....Photo Jeromy Kadewere
Chikwawa District Education manager Thomas Mbwembwe….Photo Jeromy Kadewere
Time to browse the internet for St Mathews Primary pupils...Photo Jeromy Kadewere
Time to browse the internet for St Mathews Primary pupils…Photo Jeromy Kadewere
Airtel Malawi Public Relations Relation Edith Tsilizani....Photo Jeromy Kadewere
Airtel Malawi Public Relations Relation Edith Tsilizani….Photo Jeromy Kadewere

In a bid to grow the culture of ICT based learning, leading mobile telecoms provider Airtel Malawi in partnership with the British Council launched a computer lab internet on Tuesday at St Mathews Primary School in Chikwawa district.

The launch, which was graced by Airtel Malawi Officials, British Council Director and Chikwawa district education manager, took place at St Mathews Primary School ground.

In her speech, Airtel Malawi Public Relations manager Edith Tsilizani  said the mobile phone service provider is excited to partner with the British Council in its quest to cultivate an ICT culture at primary school level in Malawi through the British Councils connecting classrooms programme.

Tsilizani said children are the prospective human resource of tomorrow and that equipping them with the right technology will not only deepen their knowledge in ICT but also groom them into becoming competitive global citizens.

She also said teachers will also utilise the same facilities to equally be in sync with the IT based culture in education.

“It is an open secret that we are living in a digital era. Everything around us is, in one way for the other, attached to ICT services. Certainly, it is another open secret that ICT is central in human society in this day and age,” said Tsilizani.

Tsilizani said their commitment to empowering education sector with ICT has been growing from time to time.

Among other things, Airtel Malawi has been promoting ICT based academics in institutions of higher learning across the country.

Since, May this year, Airtel Malawi has donated 150 state of the art ZTE Tabs to 15 tertiary institutions.

Tsilizani added that the IT hubs will be based in 5 rural areas, at local primary schools in various areas of the country namely Nkhando TDC in Karonga, Chihame TDC in Nkhatabay, Ntaja TDC in Machinga, and Nyamadzera TDC in Nsanje.

This partnership shall see Airtel donating 5GB data to each of the 5 British Council IT hubs every month for a period of 3 consecutive years.

The British Council Director Reena Johl said apart from connecting UK based primary schools with local primary schools, connecting classrooms is a global education programme which offers funding and resources for school partnerships and professional development for teachers and aims at providing educators support to develop basic ICT skills within classroom teaching.

Johl said connecting classrooms improves access to technology and core infrastructure through the construction of digital hubs in some schools.

She also said connecting classrooms is designed to help young people learn about global issues, giving skills to work in a global economy.

Chikwawa district education manager, Thomas Mbwembwe said the internet service that was launched to support government agenda on quality and relevant education as well as provision of equitable access to education for all.

“This is so because the service will enable our teachers as well as children here at St Mathews and the surrounding community to have access to information on internet. People will be able to send and receive information on a wide range of areas be it academic or otherwise,” he said.

He also hailed British Council and Airtel Global Company for the gesture.

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chengolopiyo nyopi
chengolopiyo nyopi
9 years ago

ine kudabwatu Airtel kupanga donate ma IT hubs kapena ma dongle?tiwuzeni zoona

Richard mwandira
Richard mwandira
9 years ago

Cool

nyamanda
nyamanda
9 years ago

Has Airtel introduced IT Hubs in Malawi primary schools or Airtel has donated mobile internet connection to British Council sponsored IT Hubs. We know these hubs have been there for the last three years and that British Council handed them over to Parents and Teachers association to monitor its running. Apart from British Council sponsored IT Hubs, there are other IT Hubs in our schools which have been running for many years sponsored by different organisations like, Macra, Fawema, USAID, World vision.

Jessy Kam'yamatamata
9 years ago

Guys anawa mukuwanamizira. Taonani tizato kuchitata kupanga point pa keyboard one by one. Akuti kuyang’ana pa keyboard mmalo mwa pa screen. Iri galimoto ndi ngozi imeneyi chifukwa choyang’ana pa acceletor.

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