Giga School Connectivity Project - Sao Tome and Principe

The collaboration between ITU and UNICEF will aim at developing a feasibility assessment and analysis on the different connectivity solutions to connect all schools in Sao Tome and Principe to the Internet. The project has two components: 

• Component 1. The feasibility of different connectivity solutions is assessed and analysed with costs and pricing, including a complete budget on the cost to connect all schools to internet.

• Component 2. Mission to Sao Tome and Principe.

The project, implemented under a fund transfer agreement between ITU and UNICEF, successfully delivered a comprehensive feasibility assessment and analysis of connectivity solutions to connect all schools in Sao Tome and Principe to the Internet. The assessment covered the feasibility of different connectivity solutions, including fibre, mobile wireless, and satellite options, with associated costs and pricing, and included a complete budget for achieving universal school connectivity in the country.

A technical mission to Sao Tome and Principe was conducted in April 2024, during which the project team held meetings with key local stakeholders, including the national ICT regulatory authority (AGER), the Ministry of Education, telecommunication companies, school delegates, UNICEF-STP, and the Organization of Intellectual Property. Face-to-face training sessions on infrastructure data collection and mapping were delivered to national counterparts during the mission.

Following the field mission, two presentations on the feasibility study findings were delivered: one for the UNICEF team in June 2024 and a second for the World Bank, the institution funding the STP Digital programme. The deliverables were adjusted according to requirements from stakeholders where possible. The final narrative report documenting the project outcomes was delivered in November 2024.

The project achieved a 99 per cent expenditure rate against the total amount of USD 21,400. The collaboration between ITU and UNICEF demonstrated the value of multi-sectoral approaches to school connectivity, and the involvement of school delegates proved particularly valuable in understanding on-the-ground challenges. The feasibility study followed BDT/DNE/FNS division methodology for ICT Gap Analysis studies, ensuring consistency with ITU standards.

Key lessons from the project emphasized the importance of pre-engagement with local communities and beneficiaries during the training design phase, as well as the need for comprehensive and inclusive planning. The project also highlighted the benefit of establishing regular checkpoints with beneficiary communities throughout implementation and the value of accommodating tailored requests to improve the meaningfulness of deliverables.