About 2000 public schools and 500 other public institutions are expected to be provided reliable, high-speed internet connectivity under the new $150 million Digital Malawi Acceleration Project (DMAP) which will be implemented by the Ministry of Information and Digitalization (MoID) through the Private Public Partnership Commission (PPPC). 

PPPC Chief Executive Officer, Patrick Kabambe, revealed this development on Tuesday in Lilongwe when officials from the Commission appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Media, Information and Communication to update it on the progress of the Digital Malawi Program Phase 1: Digital Foundations Project and the forthcoming DMAP. 

DMAP is the successor project of the Digital Malawi Program Phase 1 funded by the World Bank, aiming at increasing internet access and improving the government's capacity to deliver digitally enabled services. 

Kabambe said the country is striving for digital inclusion to thrive in a digital age as evidenced by the implementation of these transformative projects. 

He emphasized that DMAP will ensure reliable internet for 2,000 schools and 500 other public institutions, providing students and teachers with access to eBooks and other essential learning materials, thereby enhancing modern education and improving digital government services delivery. 

Kabambe added: “We can all appreciate that having internet services in rural areas where people cannot afford cheap devices compromises our quest of ensuring digital penetration in our country. 

Therefore, the new project will look at all aspects of ensuring that devices such as phones and computers are affordable in rural areas.”

Vice Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee, Ishmael Grant, commended the Commission for successfully implementing the Digital Malawi Program Phase 1, noting its significant impact on the country's digital landscape. 

He urged the commission to ensure that DMAP achieves its intended goals.