Econet Wireless Zimbabwe’s technology spin-off Cassava Smartech has launched ‘Akello Edutech’, a digital learning platform which offers education and learning resources for learners of all age groups.
Cassava Smartech CEO Mr Eddie Chibi said Akello Edutech – which will incorporate Ruzivo Extramarks, Akello Books, Akello Courses and Muzinda Hub – would harness technology to change and enhance the way students learn, offer unparalleled access to education materials, and complement existing learning methods and systems.
“Once again we have identified a vital need in the education space and proceeded to develop a solution that will offer critical and unparalleled digital learning resources while complimenting the current education system,” said Chibi.
The CEO said Akello Edutech was one of the strategic business pillars that Cassava Smartech had set up to offer focused, tech-driven solutions to various sectors of the economy. Akello Edutech, he said, was the pillar responsible for offering transformative, technology-driven innovations and digital solutions in the education sector.
“Akello Edutech is dedicated to providing affordable digital education content. We offer novel learning solutions and products aimed at up-skilling learners from primary school up to university and beyond,” said Chibi.
Akello Edutech chief operating officer Mr Tendai Mashingaidze said:
“The platform provides both academic and non-academic content from internationally recognized publishers across the globe. We have partnered with some of largest content aggregators and distributors, and so far there are over 260,000 titles on Akello books.”
Akello Courses, he said, provides an array of skills-development courses in partnership with global educator Shaw Academy, giving students an “unparalleled interactive learning experience”, adding that there was over 16 Diploma courses from 6 disciplines already available.
“On offer is a five month Digital Skills Training Program which consists of specialised e-learning coding modules (in conjunction with Treehouse, a US based Silicon Valley organisation).The students are also offered business and entrepreneurship skills training which enables them to get into the market as entrepreneurs, consultants or employees,” said Mashingaidze.
Cassava Smartech was listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange in December 2018 and at $3.8 billion market capitalization, immediately became one of the largest counters on the stock exchange.