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Project seeks to enhance e-learning in rural areas

Atsikana e-learning project has committed to provide information and communications technology (ICT) gadgets to around 160 000 learners in Kasungu and Dowa districts to promote online learning in rural areas.

The project’s co-initiative coordinator Joseph Chirwa said the initiative is mostly targeting girls in rural-based secondary schools.

He was speaking on Wednesday in Kasungu during the orientation of teachers from the targeted schools. The project is being implemented on a pilot phase but will be rolled out across the country.

Chirwa orienting the teachers on the project

“Seventy percent of our targets are girls because they are the ones that drop out more than boys. We want to motivate them,” said Chirwa.

The teaching assistant at Northern Arizona University in the United States, disclosed that he has secured 500 iPads from technology giant Google.

“We are currently lobbying for more support from institutions and well-wishers so that we can secure more gadgets. By the way, we have already distributed some laptops,” he said.

Chirwa said the project also aims to enhance lessons delivery in science, technology engineering and mathematics fields which are shunned by most learners.

Meanwhile, Kasungu district Education Office coordinating primary education adviser Owen Mwale has hailed the project as a game-changer for girls’ education.

“Use of technology during lessons delivery always captures the interest of learners because to most of them in rural setup, it is something new. This makes learning easy and obviously that motivates learners to remain in school somehow. This is why this project is very crucial,” he said.

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