The Internet Society of Zimbabwe has embarked on a countrywide programme to train school learners on using computer network and software servers.
The initiative follows the realisation that the government has for years been donating computers to schools but without capacitating learners or their teachers with the necessary software training.
The computers are largely used for basic computer hardware usage and research without learners necessarily being trained on software and servers use.
While computers are one of the learning areas in the new education curriculum in schools, training is largely limited to basic computer skills such as typing and playing games.
The Internet Society Zimbabwe chapter is targeting schools across the country to capacitate learners with lifelong computer software skills.
A weeklong Deploying and Designing of Computer Networks (DDCN) training session was conducted for learners in Victoria Falls starting last Monday and ended with a graduation ceremony at Mosi-oa-Tunya High School.
A total of 126 learners and four teachers were awarded certificates.
One of the coordinators Charity Ncube said the certificates are internationally recognised and afford holders to venture into the computer software field.
Ncube said besides Mosi-oa-Tunya learners in Victoria Falls, the society had also trained pupils at Solusi High School, Bulawayo Adventist High School and Light House College among others.
“This is a programme that targets to equip pupils with lifelong skills to be able to use computer software and servers. The aim is to make students hands-on in using computers.
“It’s a programme we hope will complement every other effort in schools. So these 126 learners are as good as professionals now,” said Ncube.
She implored young people to embrace the training.
The learners said they will use their lifelong skills to transform their lives and their communities.
Internet Society has close to 120 active chapters around the world, Zimbabwe included, with a vision of making sure every citizen develops computer skills and has access to internet.
