The DBE and the Sesego Foundation, recently launched the Edulution Programme at Hlengimpilo Primary School in the Pinetown District, KwaZulu-Natal Province, on a quest to promote literacy and numeracy in schools. Edulution is structured as a during and after school numeracy pilot programme, to the extent that learners are assisted to master literacy and numeracy at the General Education and Training (GET) level. Edulution is a digital learning social enterprise that runs numeracy and literacy programmes in Zambia and Namibia. More recently, the programme has been expanded to disadvantaged schools in Inanda in the Pinetown District. Since its establishment in 2015, Edulution has provided opportunities to over 12,500 learners in Grades 4 to 7 and has achieved impressive results owing to its unique combination of technology, exciting curriculum-aligned content, effective coaching and a comprehensive performance measurement system. In Zambia, an independent evaluation conducted by the Swiss Educational Innovation Network, showed that Edulution Grade 7 learners are outperforming their peers by 20% in the national Mathematics examinations.

Head of Key Stakeholder Engagement and Government Relations at Edulution, Mr Richard Akwei, affirmed that South Africa can be showcased to other countries in the region in terms of adopting innovative new learning solutions in Public Private Partnerships. “We have opened seven centres in Inanda during the last month and are currently reaching more than 1,680 learners. We will open another three centres before the end of April in Inanda and a further 10 centres in other rural schools later in the year. Our long-term plan is to reach even more learners in all nine provinces across the country”.  

Speaking during the launch, Director for the Rural Education Directorate, Dr Phumzile Langa, strongly recommended the Edulution programme as it strengthens the DBE’s efforts in increasing learner participation in Mathematics and Physical Science. “I wish the partnership could grow stronger to reach out to a multitude of learners in the country.”

Director of the Sesego Foundation, Ms Nomsa Daniels, explained that the introduction of Edulution in the South African schools will ensure that learners enter high school with a solid foundation in Mathematics. As a result, the DBE will be able to increase learner participation in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, viewed as key levers in increasing the targeted number of artisans in the country. Through Edulution, learners will be able to revise and master essential numeracy and ITC skills required in the 21st Century. “The Edulution programme caters for groups of 40 learners. Each group is supported by two coaches who facilitate peer-to-peer learning. Learners make use of tablets to do their initial baseline tests and work at their own pace to master each level of the programme before moving on to the next level.”