Govt plans zero-rated education platforms to improve school internet

The Ministry of Education is working with internet service providers to introduce zero-rated access to education platforms used in schools and host frequently used school services in local data centres as part of efforts to improve internet performance. The plans were outlined on Monday, June 29, during a hearing before Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC), where lawmakers raised concerns that internet coverage remains limited in some parts of schools and connection speeds remain slow despite significant investments in connectivity. ALSO READ: Rwanda eyes faster, cheaper internet for more schools in smart education expansion Bella Rwigamba, Chief Digital Officer at the Ministry of Education, told lawmakers that all 1,500 schools targeted under the government's connectivity programme had been connected. However, she said growing demand for internet services has affected performance in some institutions. We later found that although the internet had been provided, the increasing number of technological devices, including phones and computers, raised demand and, in some places, reduced performance, she said. Rwigamba said the ministry had signed agreements with BAC to oversee internet management and monitor service quality in schools. ALSO READ: Smart education project gets Rwf30 billion financial boost She said internet capacity was initially allocated based on projected demand. Primary schools were connected to 50 Mbps, while secondary schools received either 25 Mbps or 50 Mbps depending on their size. Universities are connected at between 100 Mbps and 300 Mbps, also depending on their size, she said. She noted that this represented a significant improvement over previous capacity levels. Primary schools previously operated at speeds of between 3 Mbps and 10 Mbps, she added. Rwigamba explained that internet needs evolved as teachers increasingly adopted digital tools. The tablets used in primary schools do not depend heavily on internet access. However, teachers later needed the internet to use the computers they received and during training sessions, she said. To address the challenge, the ministry is working to reduce bandwidth consumption for educational services. After identifying the issue, we considered zero-rating the platforms most frequently accessed by schools, Rwigamba said. We have engaged different service providers so that selected education platforms used by schools can be zero-rated, while the services most commonly used by schools are hosted in local data centres. Schools will continue accessing the internet, but the bandwidth consumed will be lower. That is one of the solutions we are currently pursuing, she added. During the hearing, PAC Deputy Chairperson Cécile Murumunawabo said many schools still face connectivity gaps. The internet does not reach all parts of schools, and where it is available, the speed remains low, she said. PAC Chairperson Valens Muhakwa also questioned the placement of internet access points in some schools, citing cases where several had been installed close together instead of being distributed across school compounds. Rwigamba said some access points were installed in close proximity because of the physical layout of school buildings.

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Govt plans zero-rated education platforms to improve school internet