AIRTEL Zambia has donated nine computers, three routers, data bundles and furniture to three Ndola Basic schools worth K60 million.

The recipients of the computers included Chibolelo, Nkwazi and Twapia.

The computers were part of the 60 that the mobile service provider has lined up for distribution to schools, the Zambia Association of Persons with Disabilities, Girl Guides Association and the Zambia Scouts Association.

Labour and Social Security Minister Fackson Shamenda, who received the donation on Wednesday on behalf of the schools, said Zambia would only meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on education if information communication and technology (ICT) was embraced in schools.

Mr Shamenda said during the hand-over of the computers at Lowenthal Theatre that the Government was taking development of ICTs in schools seriously, hence the need to nurture partnerships with major players in the industry like Airtel Zambia.

He said the ministry of Education was one of the priority portfolios Government had earmarked for massive investment to foster national development.

The minister warned the recipients of the computers against using the facilities for surfing social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter at the expense of the intended purpose.

Airtel Zambia managing director Fayaz King said access to computers and the Internet was as much a human right as was the right to education, and that the company was of the belief that no child in Zambia should be denied the right.

Mr King said Airtel Zambia wanted to help raise the standards of education by encouraging the education sector to be part of the digital revolution.

Apart from the desktop computers, routers and data bundles, the head teachers at the three schools were given laptops while teachers got themselves smart phones.