Staff Reporter
Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Owen Ncube has commended the government for expanding digital and energy infrastructure, saying the initiatives are key to improving education access and service delivery across rural communities.
Ncube made the remarks during a handover ceremony at Amaveni Hall, where smartphones were distributed to Kwekwe district headmen, 41 Starlink internet kits to junior parliamentarian schools, and bicycles together with non-communicable disease (NCD) equipment and accessories to HIV support groups and local health institutions.
“We commend the government for donating ICT gadgets, rolling out modern internet connectivity and implementing the universal electrification programme for rural schools by 2026,” Ncube said. “These initiatives are critical in bridging the digital divide and improving learning conditions across communities.”
He said improved connectivity through satellite internet and electrification is expected to enhance access to online learning resources and strengthen communication between communities and local leadership structures.
“We expect these interventions to ensure no learner is left behind as schools increasingly rely on digital platforms,” he said, urging students and beneficiaries to use the equipment responsibly.
The minister said the health-related donations — including blood-pressure machines, thermometers and glucometers — were aimed at strengthening community-level responses to both communicable and non-communicable diseases, while bicycles would improve mobility for volunteer support groups.
