Ethio Telecom establishes digital learning centers in 66 high schools investing over 45 mln Birr

Ethio Telecom has inaugurated digital learning centers on Thursday in 66 selected high schools nationwide.

The centers are equipped with computers and furniture along with fast broadband internet service to support the overall efforts of producing knowledge based generation by discharging its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in educational sector among other several CSR projects aimed to augment all rounded development endeavors of the society.

Ethio Telecom has been expanding infrastructures and deploying latest technologies to ensure access to its services and implemented tariff rate reduction to make sure that the wider community can afford using telecom services.

Likewise, the telecom giant has designed and executed various strategic plans to advance the education sector in equipping with the necessary learning facilities and technologies, thereby ensuring the overall excellence in the education sector.

Especially, in the digital era, establishing such digital learning centers will have profound impacts on education by creating technological and innovative learning scheme, supporting students to cope with the digital world, enhancing access to information and developing analytical thinking and problem solving skills, thereby imparting their tested knowledge and skills to the community.

Furthermore, it will play paramount roles for students to easily access education and share information with other schools, conduct researches, make the teaching learning process smooth and more effective, prepare students for the digital world when they graduate and join the wider society to bridge the digital divide.

In line with this, the company has invested over 45.48 million Birr worth digital learning centers in 66 high schools across the country and equipped them with 1,386 desktop computers and furniture (1,386 tables and chairs each) as well as availing fast broadband internet service per digital learning room. As a result, over 140,596 students will be beneficiaries by the CSR.

Among 66 government high schools equipped with digital learning facilities, 18 of them are located in Addis Abeba; while the remaining 48 high schools are in different regions. The selection of these high schools has been made through the support and engagement of Addis Ababa and regional education bureaus in collaboration with the company’s regional and zonal offices.

Considering the multifaceted role of the education sector in the overall growth of the nation, our company has invested over 4.8 billion Birr over the years past, particularly in the provisioning of the school net services since the introduction of technology supported online education (plasma TV) by connecting educational institutions with high speed fixed broadband internet and satellite communication options and providing free and up to 86 percent service fee discount.

In addition, in this fiscal year 2014 alone, the company discharged its CSR by donating 50,000 dozens of exercise books for the primary school students enrolled in 665 schools countrywide which worth over 16.5 million Birr in support of the low income group of the society. The company also expended 23.4 million Birr for the school feeding program for 9,000 students learning in 24 schools as well as allocated 22 million Birr as a one-year pocket money for 5,500 selected students of 45 universities granting Birr 400 in a month for each student.