Airtel Puts K12 Million Into Schools And Connects 300 To The Internet

Airtel Zambia has committed K12 million to school infrastructure and connected 300 schools to the internet, in a pair of programmes aimed at learners in communities where both classrooms and connectivity are scarce.

Under its School Adoption Programme, backed by the Airtel Africa Foundation, the company has adopted five schools in Chipata, Solwezi, Mongu, Mansa and Mufulira. Each receives a 1x3 classroom block, ablution facilities, a computer laboratory with internet access and a borehole serving both the school and the surrounding community. New facilities have already been handed over in Chipata and Solwezi.

The borehole is the detail worth noting. Water and sanitation are among the most reliable predictors of whether pupils, particularly girls, stay in school, so the package addresses attendance as much as capacity.

Separately, Airtel has partnered with UNICEF on the School Connectivity Project, which has connected 300 schools and reached more than 292,000 learners. At its centre is the Learning Passport, a zero-rated platform carrying curriculum-aligned material from early childhood through secondary level. Because it does not consume data bundles, cost is removed as a barrier to using it, which is what distinguishes it from most digital learning initiatives.

Managing director Hussam Baday said connectivity had become a necessity rather than a luxury.

"By bringing connectivity to students in remote areas, we are helping bridge the digital divide and ensuring that geography does not determine a child's potential," he said.

Teachers also gain access to additional materials and digital teaching tools.