ICT skills for Bikita pupils:
IN A world dominated by social media, a number of videos have been shared in the Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) providing sad but also hilarious moments.
In one of these GIFs, a primary school pupil is captured virtually howling as her teacher tries to make her touch a laptop.
No-one would ever know why she was so scared of the computer.
However, that is not the case with Priviledge Madondo from Bikita District in Masvingo province.
Madondo, a Grade 4 pupil at Jaravaza Primary School, cannot miss her computer lessons for anything.
“I had never been near a computer in my life, let alone learn how to use it, but I can now operate the machine and even type. It is quite exciting,” she said in a recent interview.
She is a beneficiary of the computer skills training programme launched in the district by Mambure Trust, a girl empowerment organisation founded by former ZBC radio presenter Dr Hellen Venganai in 2016.
The project is in line with Government’s recently initiated Curriculum Review, which has introduced a new syllabus in the education system.
In the Zim-Asset II, policy provisions also include science and technology as a means of pushing for innovation among Zimbabwean pupils.
In essence, the Mambure Trust initiative could boost the schools’ computerisation programme initiative spearheaded by former President Mugabe.
Hence, the Trust provides a better way to complement Government efforts by taking computer lessons to the marginalised communities especially in rural areas.
The Trust has embarked on a computer literacy project to teach children in rural areas the basics of computer programming.
The project has also brought so much excitement in Bikita District, Masvingo Province, where primary school pupils have been taken through their passes in computers.
The computer literacy project has received tremendous support from the respective schools, authorities and the community at large.
According to Bikita District School Inspector in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Mrs Chioneso Maradza, the programme has helped the area in pushing for computer literacy.
“Bikita District is progressing very well in ICT application due to this initiative by Mambure Trust. It promotes the new curriculum by equipping pupils, teachers and parents with technological skills.
“Because Mambure Trust is training these skills for free, the District Education Office is overwhelmed by their social responsibility.”
Jaravaza Primary School headmaster Mr Daniel Sithole said his school appreciated the computer project.
“Mambure Trust is empowering the learners, community, and staff in ICT basics as expected by the updated curriculum.
“We enjoy the patience and expertise displayed by the facilitators led by Dr Hellen Venganai.”
He said the initiative would go a long way in ensuring that rural communities can also, at least, get a feel of ICTs.
Mr Morgen Mudodo, the headmaster of Nyemba Primary School, said the initiative had set a crucial pace in the teaching of and application of ICTs in the new curriculum.
“The children have been exposed to the use of computers, a tool that is of paramount importance in the implementation of the Updated Curriculum.
“This programme has enhanced cooperative and collaborative learning as pupils work in groups and assist each other.
“With the involvement of teachers in this programme, it means the use of technology in teaching will see a gradual shift from relying on the text book.”
Mr Mudondo said the programme would make it easy to mobilise resources from parents to procure the school’s own computers and ICT tools through positive feedback from the pupils.
“The parents will not resist paying fees and thus enable the school to buy its own computers. We wish to encourage other well-wishers to go into marginalised schools, like ours, with similar programmes so that no child is left behind in the ICT drive.”
Mrs Zadzisai Chigudu, a teacher at Jaravaza Primary School, confessed about how she initially ignored Government computer training programmes.
She was skeptical before being exposed to the machines through the Trust.
“I remember, I was reluctant to volunteer to attend those (ICT) training workshops because I was clueless about how to even switch on a computer.
“It would have been embarrassing for me. But now with the skills we have been taught, I can gladly participate in the next training workshop,” she said.
Ms Dambudzo Sinyerere, the deputy head at Nyemba Primary School and a participant in the programme said the ICT programme was very important as it enlightens the rural communities.
“The programme is so important; it brings to light some of the basics especially in this new curriculum and as an administrator (computer knowledge) is a requirement.
“Although I have the knowledge on typing, saving documents, I have little knowledge on making slides and tables.
“This programme has opened my mind to other functions like Excel and also on how to cut and paste.
“Apart from pupils, we as teachers appreciate this programme because we can now compete with those that are advantaged in urban areas,” she said.
Dr Venganai, the Mambure Trust director, said the overall goal for the organisation was to promote, through mentorship, the participation of girls and women in male dominated technical and science fields.
“We work with poorly resourced rural schools — harnessing information, material resources, and opportunities that girls can make use of to enhance their chances of making informed future career choices, which are defined by their ability rather than their gender.
“We conduct career guidance outreaches at various rural primary schools where we introduce girls to young women studying towards, or are already working in science and technical fields,” she said.
“Although our thrust is on the girl child, we realised that boys and teachers in rural schools also lack access to computers.
“As a result, we have included them in our current project and we are currently conducting basic, but comprehensive computer lessons with teachers and learners at Jaravaza and Nyemba Primary Schools in Bikita District.”
The pilot project is targeting pupils in Grades 3 to Grade 7.
“We are proud of the strides we have made since the birth of our organisation.
“When we started, we had only four personal laptops which we took to schools for learners to have a feel of computers.
“However, with timely support from the Virginia Gildersleeve International Fund (VGIF), we have bought 13 more laptops.
“This has made our work easier by ensuring that every student in the programme can actively participate,” Dr Venganai said.
Ten children under the programme had, in the initial days, been sharing a laptop but this has been reduced to three per computer.
“Nonetheless, despite the inadequate laptops to match the big classes, within a short period, learners and teachers at these schools can now perform various Microsoft Word tasks such as typing, editing, drawing tables, and saving a document. Their confidence at operating computers has improved tremendously.
“Other primary school heads are also inviting us to introduce computer skills training at their respective schools. As we get more resources, we will definitely expand our reach to more needy schools,” Dr Venganai said.
Government is reviewing the curriculum from Early Childhood Development (ECD) to secondary level.
In the curriculum review, new syllabus targeting specifically sciences, technical subjects, engineering, mathematics, creative arts and innovations has been introduced.
The Curriculum Review is an integral component of the ministry’s strategy to produce graduates who respond to the needs of the environment and are fit for the purpose.
In an earlier interview, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Professor Paul Mavhima said Government would want to ensure that before a child completes his or her education, they should be competent in computer skills, and business management.
Government also intends to, through the new curriculum, not only to provide holistic education for all learners but to develop the whole child socially, physically, intellectually, creatively and emotionally.