Internet Now More Of A Basic Need Than A Luxury - ICT Minister

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Minister Jenfan Muswere said that COVID-19 has made the internet a basic need and pressured the government to speed up connectivity in marginalised areas.

Minister Muswere was speaking on Friday at the official launch of the community information centre in Ruwa. He said:

We are indeed, living in unprecedented times, a time where internet connectivity has become more of a basic need than a luxury.

This is expected to boost e-learning, the preferred mode of education due to COVID–19.

He said community information centres (CIC) offer a chance for creative and innovative minds to break down barriers and create solutions.

Muswere said the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ) together with the ICT ministry and ZimPost were handing over CICS to the public so as to alleviate the challenge of affordability and access to internet facilities.

He also said to enhance internet access, authorities had also embarked on a project to connect 1 500 schools by year-end.

POTRAZ director-general Gift Machengete said the ICT ministry continued to play an important role in the digitalisation agenda in line with the government’s national development strategy.

Demand for the internet rose during the COVID-19 pandemic as thousands of people were forced to work from home and teachers conducted online lessons, with churches also offering online services to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

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