iPads to boost education in Zim

Zimbabwe has suffered greatly in the past, due to the policies of president Robert Mugabe, but there is a glimmer of hope for the future of the country, TUAW states. Apple and the government of Zimbabwe have entered into a joint venture to distribute solar-powered iPads to rural schools in the country.

The announcement was made by Zimbabwean minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart, who met with Apple employees in Paris. In a Facebook post, he noted that he had a "great meeting with Apple today in Paris - unveiled a fascinating new 'School Box', which will take iPads to the most remote rural schools - using solar power and micro projectors, we will be able to bring computerised teaching aids to the poorest schools".

Coltart mentioned that the first pilot programmes could start early in 2012. Coltart said: “I am very excited that Zimbabwe іѕ collaborating with Apple in thіѕ groundbreaking use of technology to advance education in the most remote schools. If wе саn get it to work in Zimbabwe, I am sure it will spread to poor schools throughout Africa - and beyond,” Zim Guardian reports.

Given that broadband access in some parts of the world is inevitably going to be based on mobile signals, these iPads are likely to connect to the Internet via 3G. It is believed the School Box may also act as a femtocell device, enabling a single broadband connection to be shared between students, according to Computerworld.

The vision could one day see textbooks made available to connected client devices from an education-focused iCloud/iBookstore. Add translation tools to the mix, and solutions such as this bring the widest possible educational opportunity to the developing world.