The e-learning platform iEDUK, an alternative tutoring solution for parents and students in Côte d’Ivoire

The extended closure of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected the education sector, in Côte d’Ivoire and worldwide. Schools are gradually reopening their doors and students, especially those in examination classes, are resuming their studies. However, it is still necessary to make up for the delays caused by the few weeks during which classes were suspended. Revisions and upgrades are necessary and the iEDUK digital platform powered by Eneza Education offers these services at low cost for students in Côte d’Ivoire from CMI1 to 3ème.   

In order to allow the highest number of people to benefit from the services, TRECC has partnered with Eneza Education to offer free access to the iEDUK platform for all children in Côte d’Ivoire over a period of one month. We met Christelle HIEN-KOUAME, Country Director for Eneza Education, to present the company and services in more details.  .

Ms Christelle Hien-Kouamé, could you present Eneza Education Côte d’Ivoire and the iEDUK plateform ? 

Eneza Education is a technology and innovation company working in the education sector. Founded in Kenya, the company has been operating in Côte d’Ivoire since 2018 with the aim of providing and producing digital educational solutions, including the iEDUK platform.

iEDUK is a revision and learning service via SMS accessible from any type of mobile phone, without the need for an internet connection. Offering the entire school curriculum in force in Côte d’Ivoire, the learner receives on his mobile phone summaries of lessons and quizzes.   

Does the Ministry of National Education know about this platform?   

Of course, the contents of the IEDUK platform have been fully approved by the Department of Pedagogy of the Ministry of National Education of Côte d’Ivoire. Moreover, this collaboration with the Ministry allows IEDUK to get closer to schools, students and parents to present the service and its functionalities. 

How is iEDUK responding to the COVID-19 crisis that completely paralyzed the education system?  

iEDUK is an excellent alternative to continue the educational program throughout the country during this period of health crisis and even beyond due to the high accessibility of the SMS canal. Firstly, the range of content covering the entire curriculum allows the student not only to look back on previous courses, but also to get ahead of the courses that have been or will be missed due to COVID-19. In addition, the proportion of the population with at least one mobile phone reassures that this service is accessible to a large majority of households in Côte d’Ivoire. Finally, the possibility of receiving content on a mobile phone ensures the sustainability of the instruction, which remains available at any time and in any place for the child and his or her parents.

What are the advantages of iEDUK compared to other services already available or set up in response to the COVID-19 crisis?  

La plateforme iEDUK présente de nombreux avantages, dont les principaux sont les suivants :

• Use of the information transmission channel most accessible to the majority of the population: a basic mobile phone;
• Does not require an internet connection;
• Contents drawn from the national education programme and covering the entire school year;
• Contents approved by the supervising Ministry;
• Simple and accessible exercises in the form of interactive quizzes;
• Assessments and referrals received automatically by SMS.

How does this service ensure the continuity of school learning?  

As iEDUK covers all subjects in the curriculum, the child can easily continue learning by choosing new lessons to review, whether they are lessons already seen in class or new subjects that should have been learned during the school closure period. After choosing a module to be revisited, the student receives on his or her phone the necessary explanations for the revision, as well as progressive exercises. In addition to ensuring continuity of learning, the iEDUK service perpetually enriches the bond between the student and the educational system through an interactive and playful approach.

“iEDUK responds to a real need to offer parents and students a tutoring alternative that presents educational content that is accessible anytime and anywhere.”

Once the return to the classroom is fully effective, how will the platform contribute to supporting the regular education system? What are the students’ interests in continuing to use this service? 

Although even more relevant in this period of health crisis related to COVID-19, iEDUK acts as a complementary service to the regular education system since its launch in 2018 in Côte d’Ivoire. It responds to a real need to offer parents and students a tutoring alternative that presents educational content that is accessible anytime and anywhere. The quality as well as the accessibility of the service encourages the learner to review, to understand better the courses (in times of crisis, strike or other failure), to practise, and even to get ahead of the curriculum

It also appears as a support for parents of students who wish to assist and monitor their children by providing them with tutoring throughout the year, whether they are in a COVID-19 situation, as is currently the case.

How do you see the future of iEDUK in Côte d’Ivoire? 

We hope that students will develop and maintain the reflex to revise with their mobile phones, so that they can improve their academic results and their knowledge in general. In this way, we hope that iEDUK will be adopted by most of the target population.

In order to reach all students of all grades, we wish to extend our service offer to cover the entire secondary cycle and offer even more educational content, and more homework. The aim is to have a considerable impact on the academic success rate in Côte d’Ivoire, but also in the French-speaking African sub-region.

I invite students and parents to take advantage of this free period to discover iEDUK by sending EDU to 98051!

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