Closing the Digital Divide: Lessons from Rural Schools

In the rural schools I’ve visited, the challenge isn’t just a lack of devices — it’s poor connectivity, unreliable electricity, and training that doesn’t stick.

One school in the Eastern Cape partnered with a local ISP to run a community Wi-Fi hub. Another used solar kits to keep basic ICT tools running. In both cases, the tech only made a difference because teachers had ongoing support, not just a one-off workshop.

The lesson? Infrastructure matters, but so does human capacity. If you give people tools without building confidence and skills, they stay in the cupboard.