EDUCAT ION A ND T R A INING
Learning curve Despite its mostly negative impact on industry, the lockdown has given some education franchises reason to smile, writes ANÉL LEWIS
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he Franchise Association of South Africa warned in June that 80 per cent of franchising outlets would not survive if they could not resume normal operations. Yet for some, such as the educational franchises that have managed to adapt and step into the breach as schools closed, there have been positive spin-offs. Mini Chess, a play-education programme that develops critical skills, took “a big knock” in April as lockdown started, but it is now seeing an increase in new enrolments. “Education is one sector that has experienced a Marisa complete disruption van der Merwe globally,” says Mini Chess founder and CEO, Marisa van der Merwe. “And we found ourselves caught in the middle.”
DID YOU KNOW?
Globally, more than 1.2 billion children are learning online outside of the classroom. Source: World Economic Forum
When schools closed and extracurricular activities were suspended, there was an even greater need for programmes that could supplement online learning. Adrie Schoeman, CEO of Master Maths, also saw numbers drop as household income was affected and priorities shifted. “The lockdown forced us to move quickly to only online support, which from a technology perspective was not difficult as we already had the platform in place and many of our learners had access,” says Schoeman. However, the downside is that some of the learners did not have computers at home or money for data. Mini Chess also had its challenges. “We immediately moved online in early April with
the MC-Online pilot, which had been in the pipeline for some time. But we reached less than 50 per cent of our market online and it was difficult to reach our sponsored communities,” says Van der Merwe. Mini Chess offered payment packages and special arrangements to retain clients. But Van Der Merwe says Adrie the lockdown has had Schoeman positive outcomes for Mini Chess. It encouraged the development of the company’s own online platform and led to the establishment of a portal for its nonprofit programme. “Looking back, COVID-19 was the instigator for a lot of growth in our company.”
“THE LOCKDOWN FORCED US TO MOVE QUICKLY TO ONLY ONLINE SUPPORT, WHICH FROM A TECHNOLOGY PERSPECTIVE WAS NOT DIFFICULT.” – ADRIE SCHOEMAN, CEO, MASTER MATHS
bridging the technology gap companies and mobile network Other partnerships have also providers such as MTN and sought to bridge the technology Vodacom helped reduce gap. Siyavula, an e-learning the costs associated platform, provides free access Nearly 90 per cent of with online learning. to curriculum-aligned open students in sub-Saharan According to the Internet textbooks for Grades 4 Africa do not have access Service Providers’ to 12. Aware that many to computers at home, and Association of South households do not own a a staggering 82 per cent do Africa, over 1 000 local smartphone or computer, not have internet access, websites are either the Department of Basic according to UNESCO. already zero-rated or Education and the SABC in the process of being launched a multimedia learner approved for free access over support initiative to provide fixed or mobile data. educational programming.
FAST FACT
IMAGES: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM, SUPPLIED
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ack of access to computers and/or internet connectivity for students limits their educational opportunities. Cue a global pandemic, which effectively moved all teaching online, and this divide has widened, with far-reaching repercussions for our country’s already unequal education system. When schools closed in March, the government responded swiftly by zerorating educational platforms aligned with the national curriculum, enabling learners and teachers to access content for free. Publicprivate partnerships with telecommunications
FUEL ONLINE “Fuel’s vision is to enable every organisation on the African continent to have a learning management system to empower and uplift employees securely and effortlessly. Our clients have maintained and improved training delivery to hundreds of thousands of frontline workers across Africa throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Our innovative low-bandwidth solution has enabled them to train employees on their own devices without incurring data costs. Our social peer-to-peer learning and webinar tools have aided learners in getting the required education, while still feeling connected during challenging times.” – Gavin Gamsu, CEO, Fuel
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