Zimbabwe’s government is committed to a digital transformation, aiming to increase the use of information and communication technology (ICT) throughout the country. This includes plans to integrate ICT into all sectors, including education.

The Zimbabwean government has launched an initiative to deploy digital libraries in over 1,500 schools across the country. This was announced last week by Torerai Moyo, the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, during the 57th annual conference of the Zimbabwe Library Association.

"By providing access to a wide range of resources, from traditional textbooks to digital media, libraries allow our learners to engage in exploratory learning that fosters creativity and skill development for problem-solving," stated the minister.

According to Moyo, this initiative is part of the government’s broader effort to improve access to educational resources, a fundamental pillar for the development of human capital and innovation, in line with the National Vision 2030. This strategic plan aims to elevate Zimbabwe to an upper-middle-income society by 2030, with a focus on digital advancements. The government places a strong emphasis on youth education, recently initiating discussions with LinkedIn, the professional social network, to enhance digital learning opportunities in the country.

However, several challenges could hinder the access and use of digital libraries, particularly limited internet access in certain areas. According to DataReportal, Zimbabwe had 5.48 million internet subscriptions, with 4G network coverage expected to reach 41.46% by 2024, as reported by Statista.

Isaac K. Kassouwi