Digital Literacy Workshop
ZITET, Nduna Zimbabwe and Forum for African Women Educationalists Zimbabwe (FAWEZI) jointly conducted a Digital Literacy and Digital Citizenship skills workshop at Madziwa Mine School, situated in Shamva, on the 14th of July, 2022.
The skills training workshop sought to capacitate 200 learners, drawn from ordinary level classes, that is, form 1-4 classes, with digital skills as a way of improving the digital technology literacy and access for rural girls, bridging the gender digital divide. The need for the digital skills training workshop came to light upon the realisation that the move towards e-learning during the COVID-19 induced lockdowns excluded learners from rural communities, who had little to no access to internet. This resulted in the learners missing out on educational opportunities for the duration of the lockdown period because they could not attend classes. It has been reported that only 25 per cent of learners in rural areas engaged in e-learning activities against 70% recorded for their urban counterparts (Zimbabwe Statistics Agency, 2020). This saw a dismal failure rate for the 2020 Grade 7 national pass rate, which stands at 37.11 per cent and represents a decrease of 9.79 per cent from 2019’s pass rate of 46.1 per cent.
As a way of capacitating the young women from rural communities, ZITET, Nduna Zimbabwe, and FAWEZI conducted this skills workshop that unpacked Digital literacy by addressing the following aspects of digital citizenship;
- Digital Safety – empowering the learners with skills on how they can safely navigate the internet,
- Strategies of combating fake news, misinformation and disinformation.
- Building a digital brand through upholding netiquette
- Online opportunities
- Digital Rights and Responsibilities , and
- Raising awareness of the Data Protection Act as a way of instilling responsible behaviours and principles in online spaces amongst young women and youth.
The skills workshop was graced by the District Education Officer (Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education), Madziwa Primary School Deputy Headmaster and senior teachers.
Would you like to receive digital skills training to advance internet access? If Yes, contact us on zitetdigital@zitet.org.zw; zitetdigital@gmail.com for more information
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