Africa-Press – Lesotho. It is becoming a common sight for people to gather around some public facilities to enjoy free Wi-Fi, thanks to SmartBots Village Connectivity Project.
The project is aimed at assisting Botswana to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the fourth industrial revolution. It is also meant to accelerate digital connectivity by deploying state of the art ICT infrastructure to over 500 villages.
Maun is one of the villages that are benefitting from the project. Some villagers, who were spotted near some public facilities, could not hide their excitement, saying connecting to the internet was essential to society interaction as well as creating new opportunities.
They thanked government for enabling digital inclusion through implementation of the connectivity project. The digital divide, they said, had inhibited people’s ability to access life necessities such as education, healthcare and employment.
“To have a free Wi-Fi connection has brought a relief, especially on students as we can easily continue our studies even after hours or while schools are closed,” said 19-year-old Tebogo Masige of Kubung ward in Maun.
He was interviewed near Kubung Clinic, where he used Wi-Fi to study. Tebogo said internet access and digital skills could improve one’s quality of life.
Since he started using the Wi-Fi last year, he said he had seen a significant improvement in his studies as he was able to conduct some research and download some revision papers.
Tebogo, who completed Form Five last year at Maun Senior Secondary School, did not score satisfactory marks to pursue a course of his choice, but he has decided to enrol again to improve his score.
Another Kubung resident, Ms Seamogano Kgetho, who connected at Kubung kgotla concurred that Wi-Fi connection provided a concrete first step in helping to bridge the digital divide.
Many people, she said, might not have access to the internet because of their economic status, therefore, taking internet connectivity to rural areas would come handy.
“I am unemployed and I always apply online. I also use the free Wi-Fi to help my children to do home works and research. Our life is surrounded by technology and our children are also using it,” Ms Kgetho added.
A teacher at Maun Senior Secondary School, Ms Matshelo Billy also appreciated the project saying it had enhanced teaching and learning because educators could access all information they needed.
Technology, she said, had raised the quality of class discussion. “We are able to research, access some revision papers online. During our free time we use it to refresh by watching educational videos on You Tube,” she added.
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