During a live broadcast from the telecommunications company MTN, the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, with MTN SA CEO Godfrey Motsa, announced the launch of the MTN Online School, a free online portal that offers a comprehensive digital curriculum and additional resources such as video lessons, assessments and lessons extras for 10th to 12th grade students.
The solution aims to increase access to curriculum-aligned educational content, endorsed and made available by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) in South Africa for Grade 12 and Students with Special Educational Needs (LSEN), through a digital platform. The full content library will be added to the platform and made available over a three-year period, with a focus on core subjects.
O Integrated online educational portal is supported and hosted on the MTN network and is rated zero data for MTN customers, meaning it can be used without any data.
Our vision for the school sector is anchored in the National Development Plan, which recognizes that education is the cornerstone on which a nation that offers opportunities for social mobility, equity, social justice and democracy will depend. MTN Online School is a suitable digital tool to take our basic education to the next level. The online portal is agile, innovative and modern.
Along with MTN's innovation and commitment to social change, today's launch of the MTN Online School is a significant leap forward for education and brings positive change to communities across South Africa. ”Said Minister Motshekga.
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Among the main innovations, the video lessons will be provided with a sign language interpreter to accommodate deaf students. The portal includes an introduction to the African early childhood development and storytelling curriculum, with more than 2.000 stories, to equip children with good reading skills and build confidence, enabling them to learn and read independently.
Additional Resources for this project include:
- Support for students after school, on weekends, during school holidays and dedicated classes before exams;
- A timetable to promote transparency and structure;
- Students can work at their own pace as classes will be available on demand;
- The online tutoring service will be provided to students through a help function interface;
- Pre-assessments (testing existing knowledge);
- Pre-recorded lessons to watch;
- tutoring sessions;
- Feedback questions to work on;
- Live sessions presented by a teacher, recap of key concepts, focus on weak areas identified by assessments;
- Post evaluations;
- Student analysis reports;
- Students can also request help at any time or submit questions via the WhatsApp platform or chat line.
To enhance and attract more students to the virtual world now at your fingertips, the portal will also focus on areas such as financial skills, entrepreneurship, arts and culture, as well as career guidance content, focusing on key careers where skills are lacking in SA.
I am Angolan and want to participate in something that is so important for my education.