Tertiary students in Malawi have hailed the just-ended three-day Africa Internet Governance Forum saying it will help improve the issue of internet sustainability and affordability.
Digital Inclusive Campaign Malawi, Project Coordinator, Venetia Kamulete, said internet connectivity among African countries will help students across the continent access education materials without challenges.
The meeting convened various stakeholders and policymakers in the ICT circles from 54 African countries.
The youth were also recognized for forming a larger part of the African population.
Speaking after the meeting, Kamulete urged the authorities to consider slashing some charges and well as ensure that data bundles are sustained.
“We have already engaged various stakeholders including internet service providers to map the way forward on the issue of data bundles,” Kamulete said.
She said students always rely on internet services hence the need that data bundles are sustained.
“Most of the students dropped out of school during the Covid 19 pandemic as they could not afford to buy data bundles,” kamulete added.
One of the youths who attended the meeting Esther Gomani emphasized the need to have the ‘Data Must Fall’ campaign utilised in all African countries to allow the students to have access to various books online.
“This meeting has given us a platform to interact with various stakeholders and policymakers including members of Parliament and as students of higher education we have benefitted,” Gomani said.
The 11th multi-sectoral conference edition’s communique will be presented in Addis Ababa-Ethiopia, later this year. It was held under the theme: ‘Digital inclusion and Trust in Africa.’
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