Government rolls out 8 000 Starlink kits to expand school connectivity

The Government has handed over 8 000 Starlink satellite connectivity kits to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (image source)

The Government has handed over 8 000 Starlink satellite connectivity kits to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in a high-profile push to expand internet access in schools and accelerate Zimbabwe’s digital transformation agenda. The handover, held in Harare, was presented as a strategic intervention to address chronic connectivity gaps that have left many rural and marginalised schools offline.

Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services Tatenda Mavetera described the initiative as a “critical milestone” for the national Vision 2030 agenda, saying satellite-based connectivity will help dismantle geographic barriers to learning. She said the kits will enable access to online learning platforms, virtual classrooms, digital libraries and teacher training resources in real time, regardless of a school’s proximity to fibre or mobile network infrastructure.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerayi Moyo (image source)

The kits were formally handed to Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerayi Moyo under a joint ministry arrangement intended to fast-track deployment and oversight. Government officials framed the move as part of a broader national programme to produce digitally skilled citizens capable of competing in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Ministers emphasised inter-ministerial cooperation to ensure the equipment is integrated into teaching and learning plans.

Officials acknowledged that hardware alone will not guarantee improved outcomes. Minister Mavetera stressed the need for accountability and measurable impact, calling for monitoring frameworks to evaluate whether connectivity translates into higher pass rates, improved digital literacy and better teaching effectiveness. She said deployment plans will include training for teachers, maintenance arrangements and metrics to assess value for money.

Education stakeholders welcomed the potential to bridge the urban-rural digital divide but urged clarity on long-term costs, power supply solutions and local technical support. Satellite kits can deliver connectivity where terrestrial networks are absent, but schools will require reliable electricity, device access for learners and ongoing technical maintenance to sustain benefits.

The rollout aligns with global trends where satellite internet is increasingly used to reach underserved communities, but success will hinge on complementary investments in devices, teacher capacity and curriculum integration. Government officials said phased deployment will prioritise the most remote and underserved districts, with monitoring mechanisms to report on learning outcomes and system uptime.

As Zimbabwe prepares to scale digital education, the Starlink kit handover marks a visible step toward inclusive connectivity. The coming months will test whether the initiative can move beyond equipment distribution to deliver measurable improvements in classroom learning and long-term digital inclusion.