Samsung donates laptops to Muchinga schools

Samsung has donated mini-laptops worth US $30,000 to two schools in Shiwangándu District of Muchinga Province.

The donation also included gadgets for internet connectivity from Airtel Zambia to the two beneficiary schools, namely Philip Primary and Shiwangándu Secondary Schools.

Samsung Technical Solution Advisor based in South Africa at the company Regional Headquarters, Leonard Tieane, said the laptops will be officially handed over after the presidential by-election slated for January 20, next year.

Mr Tieane said Samsung would train teachers in the use of ICT in delivering lessons once the gadgets are commissioned.

Mr Tieane said his company had donated 50 laptops that include two teacher laptops and 48 pupil laptops at Philip and Shiwang`andu Schools with 24 pupil laptops and one teacher laptop at each school.

And Northern/Muchinga Zonal Business Manager for Airtel, Adrian Munalisa, said Airtel had partnered with Samsung to change the lives of vulnerable children in the community because Corporate Social Responsibility was an important part of its business.

Mr Munalisa said Airtel had provided free internet connectivity for the solar-powered schools set by Samsung electronics.

He said the seamless internet connectivity will enable school-going children to be connected to the rest of the world in search of information.

Mr Munalisa noted that Airtel would continue to collaborate and work with various institutions through investing in local communities.

And Shiwangándu Education Standards Officer (ESO) General Inspections, Longwani Ng`andwe, expressed gratitude over the mini-laptops including internet connectivity gadgets donated by Samsung and its partners, Airtel Zambia.

Mr Ng`andwe said the gadgets had come at the right time when new teaching methods were needed the most, adding that having lessons on computers would add on the variety of teaching methods.

He said the gadgets would also help to improve results and performance among learners.
Mr Ng`andwe has since urged teachers to ensure that the laptops are put to good use once commissioned so as to achieve the intended purpose of improving learning and teaching methods and benefit pupils.

Mr Ng`andwe further said the laptops would also help ease running of chemical experiments as there are no laboratories at the named schools.

The mini-laptops that had been installed at Philip Primary School and Shiwang`andu Secondary School are meant for pupils to use during various education lessons other than Information Communication Technology (ICT) lessons.