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The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) has declared digital literacy the “master key” to participation in the modern economy, warning that without it, citizens risk being “not just left behind, but left out altogether.”
Speaking on behalf of POTRAZ director-general Dr. Machengete at the National Digital Literacy and Digital Skills Assessment Survey dissemination workshop, DDG Marisa urged that digital skills be placed at the heart of Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 development agenda. The event ran under the theme Digital Skills for All: Research Insights for Inclusive Progress.
“Digital skills are no longer optional. They are fundamental to how Zimbabweans live, learn, and earn,” Marisa said, citing examples from rural students accessing online learning to small business owners using mobile payments.
By Ruvarashe Gora
The nationwide survey, covering all 10 provinces, assessed digital access, usage, and competencies. It revealed both progress made and disparities that persist, offering what POTRAZ described as a “critical evidence base” for policy design, resource allocation, and targeted interventions.
POTRAZ stressed that in the digital age, effective regulation must be grounded in reliable data and lived realities. “What gets measured gets managed,” he said, noting that digital skills drive economic competitiveness, expand access to education and healthcare, enable innovation, and strengthen governance.
Quoting Nelson Mandela’s words on education as “the most powerful weapon to change the world,” POTRAZ said digital education is now a vital extension of that weapon. The workshop brought together stakeholders from government, civil society, academia, and the private sector to explore solutions and partnerships for bridging the digital divide.
POTRAZ calls for inclusive infrastructure: “If we only pave highways for a few, many will remain stuck on the margins. But if we connect every village, every household, and every citizen, we create a nation where everyone can move forward together at the same pace, with the same possibilities.”
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