
We just attended the official launch of Econet’s EcoSchool that we spoke about yesterday. This time it wasn’t just a pilot launch but the roll out of the service to the whole country.
Speaking at the launch the Head of Econet Services, Darlington Mandivenga mentioned that the EcoSchool product and service will be made available to all universities and all their faculties in Zimbabwe starting tomorrow.
EcoSchool has taken time to introduce changes based on observations, suggestions and recommendations from the pilot phase. Econet intends on introducing the EcoSchool product to primary and secondary school learners at a later stage.
There will be EcoSchool Kiosks and brand ambassadors stationed at each of these tertiary institutions. The device will also be available at every Econet store across the country.
The key address was made by the head of EcoSchool, Teresa Mbagaya, and she mentioned the additions that have been made to the EcoSchool service since the pilot. The key highlights from the launch and the new EcoSchool product include:
– A core library (dubbed the EcoSchool eLibrary) with access to textbooks for various programs
– Educational chat platform– this will allow social interaction between students on study material and content being accessed on EcoSchool
–Econet Zero content (the service launched earlier this year with 65 free websites) has been incorporated into EcoSchool
–The introduction of an Online Education Resource Centre – This allows users to check for faculty related resources on career development and study programs from global sources
The cost structure for the 7 inch tablet and the EcoSchool content has been laid out as follows
- $6 per month for 24 months for a credit purchase of the device and its service
- $2 per month to access the EcoSchool service (if you’re using your own device)
- A cash price of $135 for a once off purchase of the device
Subscribers can get information on EcoSchool Product by dialing 118 or they can go to the EcoSchool website.