Shupavu291 provides students with access to topical lessons and quizzes aligned with the national curriculum through SMS. This approach allows students to learn anytime, anywhere, and at their own pace without needing internet access.
Since 2011, they have been working with Safaricom to offer Shupavu291 in Kenya. Now, they have partnered with other leading mobile network operators in Africa in Rwanda, Ivory Coast, and Sierra Leone to offer Shupavu291 in alignment with each country’s national curriculum.
To date, they have reached 12M+ learners who have taken over 79 million SMS lessons and asked more than 14 million questions. Learners on their platform have scored 22.7% higher on tests than their peers on average, and about 97% of learners using the platform mentioned improved test scores.
Another approach is to bring educational resources right to children’s doorsteps. Wheels of Wisdom is a mobile library and internet hotspot initiative that is empowering underprivileged children in Bangladesh. This mobile library is able to access communities where roads are narrow and are often flooded, preventing fixed libraries from being established.
With a three-wheeled van, WoW is bridging the digital divide by providing free book and internet access. They have already served 16,000 children with 12,000 books and 48,000 hours of internet time across 12 communities in three regions.
TAW Academy is bridging the knowledge gap in a fun way through their board games that teach core subjects like English, Maths, and STEM. They found that many schools in Nigeria were using rote learning to teach children, which did not equip children with critical thinking skills, and made education uninteresting.
With TAW Academy’s board games, children develop and improve success skills while having fun. Results from schools using their board games showed that children using their tools at least 3 times a week had 80% improved scores in their subjects, developed strong problem solving skills, and solution-oriented thinking.
Another offline solution is ASANKA, a low-cost, low-powered learning management system that delivers content using Web 2.0 technology. It allows multiple learners to access educational content without needing to connect to the internet. Furthermore, ASANKA Analytics can give decision-makers data and insights needed to enhance teaching and learning outcomes.
Learn more about innovations using creative approaches to bridge educational gaps from the Global Collection 2025.
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