Pan-African telecom group Paratus, an official reseller of Starlink, has launched a satellite-based internet solution aimed at improving connectivity in remote schools across Africa. The service is now active in seven countries: Botswana, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Zambia.
The offering includes a full Starlink kit, professional installation, local support, and 2 terabytes of priority monthly data. A buffer feature ensures continued access to educational content even after the data limit is exceeded. This solution is reserved for government-recognized schools, with a focus on rural areas excluded from traditional digital infrastructure.
“Paratus EduLINK is not just about connectivity; it is about creating equal access to education,” said Barney Harmse, Executive Chairman of Paratus Group. The initiative allows students and teachers to access online learning resources, attend remote classes, and take digital exams, helping to enable hybrid teaching models. In isolated regions where young people often lack basic digital skills needed in the job market, this solution could be a game-changer.
According to GSMA, only 27% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa used mobile internet in 2023, despite widespread coverage. Starlink’s satellite technology aims to bypass the need for ground infrastructure, offering an alternative path to digital access. In Namibia, a similar project by Paratus called Eduvision has already improved school performance for more than 12,000 students.
The future success of this model will depend on its financial sustainability, teacher training, and how well it integrates into national education policies. Other similar initiatives are emerging, such as Avanti’s “iMlango” program, which has connected 99,190 girls in rural Kenyan schools to digital learning tools via satellite.
While projects like these offer hope for narrowing education gaps, technology alone is not enough. Long-term impact requires targeted teacher training, strong partnerships with ministries of education, and reliable funding models. If governments can fully integrate these tools into national strategies and strengthen digital literacy, connectivity could become a powerful driver of education transformation in Africa.
