Mobile EdTech solutions and their contribution to quality education at scale in sub-Saharan Africa

: an implementation suggestion for Girl Move Academy in Mozambique

Abstract

The vast spread of mobile phones across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) offers great opportunities to tackle the region’s learning crisis through mobile educational technology (EdTech). EdTech solutions have been highly effective in long-term pilots, but the learning crisis perseveres. This thesis aims to shed light on primary and secondary EdTech, through an interview-based benchmark analysis and an EdTech adoption use case for Girl Move Academy. GMA supports girls to transition to secondary school in a marginalized Mozambican region. All ventures were ranked in categories, derived from interviews with GMA and Mozambican professionals, according to their suitability to GMA. The analysis results in three main findings: First, an uneven subject distribution exists including a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) dominance but literacy learning solutions for older students are missing despite high illiteracy. Second, the preferred distribution model for scale is via schools with the help of NGOs as hardware and internet situation in marginalized settings still don’t allow for individual adoption at scale. Third, countries greatly differ in their EdTech infrastructure and accordingly attractiveness as an expansion destination. This thesis expands the research done in mobile EdTech in SSA by providing an overview of the landscape and comparing ventures’ business models regarding their contribution to quality learning at scale in SSA. Building on findings, the thesis gives relevant recommendations for GMA for suitable ventures and features to further look into.

Date of Award	29 Jun 2021
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Filipe Santos (Supervisor)