Pathways Connect

What is Pathways Connect?

Pathways Connect is a device access programme within the Education Pathway. It provides eligible incoming university and college students with a Chromebook to support their transition into and continuation through higher education.

Many capable students in Zambia secure university or college admission but begin their studies without a personal computer. This gap quietly undermines academic performance: assignments completed late, research conducted on borrowed devices, and an avoidable disadvantage relative to better-resourced peers.

Pathways Connect exists to close this specific gap. It is not a general welfare programme and it is not a substitute for tuition or living support. It is a narrowly defined intervention: a working device, placed in the hands of a student who is already admitted, already committed, and missing only this one practical tool.

Pathways Connect is built on donated and partner-supplied devices, primarily refurbished Chromebooks, and is designed to grow sustainably alongside Pathways' device supply and administrative capacity.

Who is Pathways Connect for?

Pathways Connect is a needs-based, access-oriented programme. Admission is not a measure of academic distinction. Any admitted student without a working device who is not already receiving Pathways support through another channel is a candidate. Specifically, the programme is intended for students who:

✓Have completed secondary school in Zambia and graduated
✓Have been formally accepted into an accredited university or college, locally or regionally
✓Do not currently own a functioning personal computer or laptop suitable for academic use
✓Are not currently enrolled in any other Pathways programme. FPP and APP Scholars already receive structured support through their respective pathways

Pathways Connect alumni are not excluded from later applying to APP or other Pathways initiatives. The programmes are complementary rather than mutually exclusive over a student's lifetime of engagement with Pathways.

How the Application Works

Pathways Connect uses a deliberate, multi-layer verification process because devices are limited and must reach students who genuinely need them. A complete application includes:

1

Student application form

Personal details, secondary school attended, intended university or college, and programme of study.

2

Parental or guardian co-signature

Confirming awareness, support, and the resource exclusion declaration that the applicant does not currently own a working device.

3

Academic verification from the school

Official grades or transcript sent directly by the school, not the student, to protect against forgery or alteration.

4

Letter of recommendation

Sent directly to Pathways by a teacher, head teacher, or guidance counsellor.

5

Proof of university or college acceptance

An official admission letter naming the institution and programme.

6

Signed Programme Agreement

Accepting the responsibilities and accountability terms of the programme.

What Happens After You Receive a Device

Pathways Connect is not a one-time grant. It is a continuing relationship between Pathways and each recipient through the duration of their studies.

Two-week enrolment confirmation

Approximately two weeks into term, Pathways independently confirms the student is attending, first through direct contact with the student, then separately through the university or college registrar. This protects the programme against misrepresentation and ensures devices are actively in use.

Ongoing reporting

Recipients submit official transcripts at agreed intervals and send a thank-you letter with photographs to Pathways and, where applicable, the donor or partner organisation who supplied the device.

Academic continuation review

If a recipient fails to meet their university's own minimum academic progression standard across two consecutive terms, Pathways initiates a support conversation, not an automatic disqualification. The goal is to understand what is happening and connect the student with available help. Device reassignment is only considered where a student does not engage with this process, or where the university confirms the student is no longer on track to graduate.

How Pathways Connect Fits Within the Education Pathway

Pathways Connect sits alongside FPP and APP as a third expression of the Education Pathway, distinct in structure and target audience but grounded in the same principle: opportunity must be matched with the practical means to use it.

Where FPP prepares a small cohort for intensive international placement and APP extends guided access and employability to a wider group, Pathways Connect addresses a narrower but no less critical barrier. Its beneficiaries are not necessarily Pathways programme alumni. Any admitted student without a device who is not already receiving support through another Pathways channel may apply.

Learn about FPP Learn about APP

Device Partners

Pathways Connect depends on device donations and partnerships with technology access organisations. We are actively building these partnerships and would welcome conversations with organisations that donate or refurbish technology devices and share a commitment to closing the digital access gap for students in Zambia.

Explore Partnerships

Check Your Eligibility

To apply for Pathways Connect, both your secondary school and your university or college must be registered partners. Use the tool below to check.

Step 1 of 3

Find your secondary school

Search for the secondary school you graduated from.

No matching school found.

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You meet the eligibility requirement

✓

Both your secondary school and university are registered Pathways Connect partners. When applications open, you will be eligible to apply.

What to do next:

→ Follow Pathways on social media to be notified when applications open
→ Subscribe to the Pathways newsletter
→ Prepare your documents: admission letter, secondary school transcript, and national ID

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Request your institution

Let us know which institution you are looking for and we will check if it can be registered as a Pathways Connect partner.

Programme Policies

Programme Overview

What Pathways Connect is, who it serves, and how it operates.

Eligibility, Application and Verification Policy

Who may apply, what must be submitted, and how Pathways verifies applications.

Academic Continuation and Device Accountability Policy

What is expected of recipients once a device has been awarded.

Full policy documents will be available for download when the programme opens.