More than a thousand public schools across Panama will receive high-speed internet connectivity for the upcoming academic year. Education officials announced the massive infrastructure upgrade this week, framing it as a critical step toward digital equity in the classroom.
The initiative will bring reliable internet to 1,223 official educational centers, a dramatic leap from current coverage. Authorities from the Ministry of Education (Panama) provided details during a press conference on school year preparations. They confirmed that related projects for teacher laptops and student computers are also advancing.
Closing the Digital Divide Nationwide
Until now, only an estimated 40 to 45 percent of Panama’s public schools had internet access. This new project aims for universal coverage, fundamentally changing the technological landscape for students and teachers in often remote areas. Officials stressed that connectivity is now considered a basic utility for modern education.
Deputy Minister of Education Roberto Sevillano outlined the scope of the rollout. He explained that the upcoming school year will begin with a transformed digital foundation. “Up until now we only had 40 or 45% of schools with internet. Now we are going to have 100%,” Sevillano said. [Translated from Spanish]
“Everyone said that couldn’t be done because students don’t deserve such high quality. Well, they are going to have it. Computers that allow them to work with artificial intelligence and a series of programs with or without internet,” said Education Minister Lucy Molinar. [Translated from Spanish]
Minister Molinar’s statement directly addressed skepticism about providing advanced technology to students. She emphasized that the planned devices are powerful tools designed for both online and offline learning. This ensures educational continuity regardless of local connectivity issues after the initial installation.
Device Procurement and Teacher Training Underway
Parallel to the internet project, the ministry is moving forward on a separate initiative to supply 54,000 laptops to teachers. Officials confirmed the contract for those devices has already been awarded. The process to purchase computers for students, however, is restarting after a previous tender failed to produce a vendor.
Teacher training represents another key component of the digital push. Educators are currently receiving professional development in pedagogical and digital competencies. The goal is to ensure they can effectively integrate the new technology and connectivity into their lesson plans and student engagement strategies.
The 2024 academic calendar starts on February 23 with a week of teacher organization and planning. Students are scheduled to begin classes on March 2. Officials expect many schools to see the new high-speed internet installations completed during the first academic term.
This nationwide upgrade positions Panama’s public education system for a more technologically integrated future. It directly tackles one of the most significant barriers to digital learning in underserved communities.