Mozambique’s Communications Regulatory Authority (INCM) launched an initiative called “Internet nas Escolas” (internet in schools). The project aims to provide high-speed internet connectivity to around 300 schools across the country, in partnership with satellite internet service provider Starlink.
VSAT broadband internet terminals will be installed in selected schools by Starlink partner Samada to generate an average speed of 32.09 Mbps. The pilot phase of the project will involve around ten technical schools in Mozambique over the span of a year.
According to Constâncio Trigo, general director of INCM, the “Internet in Schools” project is part of the Mozambican government’s efforts to generalize internet access in the country and improve digital inclusion for the entire population. Other government initiatives in this area include setting up digital hubs across the country and connecting libraries to the internet.
Moreover, Mozambique was the first African country to award Starlink an operating license in February 2022. The advent of Starlink accelerates the Mozambican government’s digital ambitions, as space technology will speed up coverage for the entire population with high-speed internet connectivity, including communities living in remote rural areas that are difficult for telecom operators’ terrestrial networks to access.
The INCM believes that connecting schools to high-speed internet will enable their students and teachers to access online educational resources. It would also enable them to research, learn and communicate more effectively, among other things.
