Thousands of vulnerable Zambian youths are in line to receive a lifeline from the newly launched digital School Project, which aims to bridge the digital divide and provide access to a quality education.
The Education Above All (EAA) Foundation is leading the programme in collaboration with the Flemish Association for Development Cooperation and Technical Assistance, as well as Zambia's Ministry of Education and its Directorate of Distance Education.
The project will first target over 3,500 students aged 13 to 18 in Lusaka and Central Provinces.
Beneficiaries will receive tablets, digital learning resources, and accelerated learning support specifically designed to help them prepare for Grade 7 national exams.
Importantly, the initiative establishes certified pathways for out-of-school young people, allowing them to re-enter formal education or transition to vocational training.
This comes as Zambia faces a pressing education conundrum. Analysts estimate suggest over 200,000 young people remain out of school, hindered by poverty, overcrowded classrooms, a lack of trained teachers, and inadequate infrastructure.
They go on to warn that many of these young people, particularly in rural and marginalised communities, are at risk of being permanently excluded from education and future economic opportunities.
“By addressing these challenges, we are helping to build stronger, more equitable futures for children and their communities,” said Derek Langford, senior engagement specialist at EAA, during the launch.
EAA's presence in Zambia is already strong. Since 2017, the organisation says it has helped over 180,000 out-of-school and at-risk children and youth across the country.
Analysts emphasise that programs like this are critical to Zambia's overall development goals.
For many Zambian young people who have long been excluded from education, the Digital School Project provides not only tablets and learning materials, but also a new feeling of hope.
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