Back in September 2015, Samsung revealed that it would take part in the fifth Innovation Africa Summit in Uganda. At the Summit, Samsung stated that it would donate a Solar Powered Internet School (SPIS) to one school within Uganda.
According to Samsung, the lucky school to receive the SPIS has been confirmed as Nsangi Secondary School. According to Samsung, the SPIS will be delivered to the school once the Summit has concluded, and serve as a fountain of knowledge for the learners of Wakiso District.
Abey Tau, Corporate Citizenship and Public Affairs Manager for Samsung Africa RHQ commented by saying: “We wanted to make an impact beyond the event and leave a lasting legacy by giving the people of Uganda an educational solution that is going to serve the community long after we have left the country.”
“We are excited to be the first recipients of a SPIS in Uganda. Samsung has brought technology access to our door step and opened a world of innovation, ICT and possibilities that will inspire in each and every learner at Nsangi Secondary School,” says a happy Lwasa Stephen, Nsangi Secondary School, Head Teacher.
A mock up SPIS had to be built specially for Innovation Africa Summit so it can be used as a showroom, where Samsung also hosted several meetings with different Government officials and members of the media. This SPIS will now be standardised to become a fully kitted integrated learning solution.
When complete, the SPIS is built in a 12-metre renovated shipping container that can accommodate up to 24 pupils, and fitted with solar panels that power the equipment.
It is also equipped with a 65-inch large-format display screen, a teacher’s laptop, Samsung notebooks, a printer, and fans to cool the container. The classroom’s computer server is loaded with educational content that covers the entire basic education syllabus, allowing facilitators to teach any subject or grade. Energy efficient LED lighting and an IP camera, which is designed to use 3G connectivity, allows for remote classroom monitoring.
“Our solutions are built with the intention of bringing hope to the people who will be using them. Nsangi Secondary School and the greater community of Wakiso Districk will now have access to education using technology of the highest standard. We are committed to our vision to impact the lives of many through innovation and skills development in the communities we operate,” concludes Tau.
The Samsung Solar-Powered internet School solution has been rolled out throughout the continent in countries including South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Mozambique, to name a few.
Darryl Linington
