MTN’s Online School injects critical digital skills into SA’s economy as robotics

MTN SA’s Online School portal is helping children reach their dreams and aspirations while providing a critical edge to the local workforce. Growing from 25,000 users soon after launch in October 2021, it has reached over 400,000 users in just 18 months, and our target is to hit one million by the end of this year. 

While we will continue to use our network, resources and capabilities to provide ongoing free access to the portal which, in partnership with the Department of Basic Education (DBE), provides online learning content, videos and practice assessments for the full CAT school curriculum from Grade R to Grade 12, there is no slowing down as we aim at growing the number of talented, digitally savvy school leavers that can benefit SA, our communities, and businesses. 

As we ramp up the next phase of the programme over the next 18 months, our future-focused add-ons will include robotics, machine learning, IoT and AI programmes, as well as learning material with a focus on financial skills, entrepreneurship, and arts and culture.   

Innovation never stops as we ensure our students are geared to succeed, whether that means learning how to be an entrepreneur, getting much-needed career guidance, or just finding out how money works.  

In the second quarter, we will be launching a hybrid portal together with MTN’s Digital Academy, that will focus on preparing young learners for jobs that haven’t even been created yet. With innovation and growth at the forefront of our economy in our modern, connected world, our digital skills training will broaden user thinking and the ability to innovate.  

The days where millions of learners in SA struggled to access books are truly over – full curricula and more is just one touch away now. And while we know SA has a heart-breaking unemployment problem, we aim to support the rollout of high-demand skills. That starts with creating competent learners across all parts of South Africa.  

None of this can be achieved, of course, without strong partnerships, and the MTN SA Foundation is fortunate to have a long-standing and trusted relationship with the DBE in supporting learning and teaching in schools. In 2020, the Foundation committed to a three-year sponsorship of the Ministerial National Senior Certificate announcement prioritised by the DBE, in addition to partnering on the MTN Online School portal. All of which form part of the MTN Group’s strategy to become the top provider of digital solutions for Africa. 

Quality is the ultimate measure of our actions, and we’ve ensured that all course material is endorsed and verified by the Department of Education and the National Education Collaboration Trust. This alignment ensures our learners are in tune and ready for examinations, whether they are living in Soweto, Sandton, or a small rural village in any corner of the country. The beauty of the model is that learners in deep rural areas can access the same learning and research as someone in an urban school. 

A standout feature of MTN Online School is the focus on STEM (science, tech, engineering, and maths) subjects, where we know learners struggle, and yet these are the skills needed in the digital workplace of the future.  

Importantly, the platform is CAPS aligned, the system supports physical and classroom education, giving pupils access to a broad array of skills, support and research that supplements and builds on what they are being taught in their classrooms.  

Today we support over 500 schools from grades R through to 12 and have evolved to ensure we can deliver solutions for those with learning disabilities and specialist training needs. 

We know that the high turnover of teachers in remote areas is another challenge besetting education outcomes and so MTN Online School is focused on providing teachers with best-in-breed learning methodologies and support. They can also connect with other practitioners for support, and our holistic solution at multimedia centres we’ve invested in schools includes ICT teacher training focused on integrating the curriculum into the normal way of learning.  We have a 10-day training that is conducted – five days happen during the first half of the year; another five days take place in the second half of the year. Further, in partnership with the DBE, the educator assistant training has seen  92,000 educator assistants trained thus far. The target for this year is 250,000 educator assistants.  

We continue to work with key stakeholders to make digital education a fundamental part of the future of learning in SA. We have a partnership with Siyavula Foundation that has a focus on STEM and classroom assessment techniques (CAT) learning and aim to merge the platform, along with 2Enable to be registered under MTN Online School.  

Further into the future, we will work to harness the power of machine learning to predict how students want to learn, what they need the most and where their greatest needs lie. In other words, learners will be able to “talk” to the tool about how concepts can and should be taught.  

We are always looking to improve and ensure we are in tune with the latest global advances as we build and grow our knowledge base for learners. 

While we all know that load-shedding negatively impacts our lives, we aim to keep learners in tune and engaged. We are therefore working with the DBE on providing the offering with an alternative energy resource by making sure partner schools are e-ready, with solar panels to fuel the technology.   

All being said, our offering goes beyond the 21st-century learner to help develop a well-educated, smart and ready-to-compete graduate. MTN believes in the future of our country and the immense potential of our youth. With the right support and guidance, the door to growth and opportunity is truly wide open. 

For full details about MTN Online School, and how and where to access the portal online for free, visit www.mtn.co.za. Or register here: https://www.mtnonlineschool.co.za/login.