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Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe on Tuesday donated over 1 000 computers to more than 28 School Information Communication Technology Laboratories (ICT) in Midlands Province.
Speaking at the commemoration of International Day of Universal Access to Information at Zhombe Growth Point where they also launched a Community Information Centre (CIC) at Zhombe Post Office POTRAZ Director General Dr Gift Kallisto Machengete said POTRAZ is ensuring an environment that allows free flow of information and is also ensuring an environment that allows information to reach as far and wide as possible.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, universal access to information means that everyone has the right to seek, receive and impart information. The United Nations Internet Governance Forum (UNIGF) identifies Access to Knowledge and Information as most important in the digital world of today.
“This comes from a realisation that the ICTs and the Internet play an integral role in facilitating the sharing of information.
“As the ICT sector regulator our mandate is to ensure there is an enabling environment for information to flow freely and for information to reach as far and wide as possible. In so doing and in the spirit of leaving no one and no place behind in the information highway, POTRAZ has been rolling out a number of ICT access and use programs and projects,” he said.
“One such project is the Community Information Centre project, which has culminated in the launch of Zhombe CIC, which we have just witnessed. Zhombe CIC is one among a host of many other CICs dotted around the country – 170 in total and an additional 32 on the way.”
Machengete also highlighted that POTRAZ is working tirelessly towards the goal of bridging the digital gap in remote areas.
“Additionally, to ensure universal access to information, POTRAZ is funding the relocation of collocated towers around the country to ensure communities in these remote rural areas have at least 2G connectivity and participate in the digital economy.
“Hon Minister, it is worrying to note that while we are still grappling to attain at least 2G in all parts of the country to enable universal access to basic telecommunications services, from the year 2020, the developed world moved to 5G. This ushered in the world of Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence, and Internet of Things.
“On our part, we have availed spectrum for 5G trials and are working on a comprehensive 5G roadmap. Furthermore, to ensure 5G cascades to remote parts as well, POTRAZ is funding the deployment of high-capacity fibre beginning with a 120km backbone link between Rutenga and Chikombedzi.
“…Universal access to information means that everyone has the right to seek, receive and impart information. The United Nations Internet Governance Forum (UNIGF) identifies Access to Knowledge and Information as most important in the digital world of today. This comes from a realisation that the ICTs and the Internet play an integral role in facilitating the sharing of information.
Machengete went on to say, it is everyone’s duty to close the digital divide.
“Ladies and gentlemen these are a few of the efforts we are making to ensure everyone has access to information and to ensure no one is left behind. Our efforts are, however, but a drop in the ocean, compared to what is needed to be done in order to leapfrog and close the digital divide. We, therefore, cannot go it alone. We need everyone to put shoulder to the deck. There is a need for collaborative effort.
“On that note, we stand in solidarity with the Ministry of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, UNESCO and other stakeholders here present in the quest of bringing universal access to ICTs, which translates to universal access to information,” he said.
Among the schools that received computers were Matinunura Secondary School, Holy Cross High, Flecther High, Hama High, Rutendo High School, Chironde School, Ngezi High, Mapfungautsi Primary, Leopold Takawira High, Dendera High, Dendera Primary among other schools, each school received 30 computers for its ICT Lab.
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