Injini, a non-profit organisation founded in part by the Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative, has introduced a research division as an avenue to produce and distribute research and insights on SA’s edtech landscape.
The non-profit is known as Africa’s edtech accelerator and exists for the sole purpose of increasing the quality, access and relevance of education throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.
According to the organisation, the new edtech “Think Tank” seeks to support edtech entrepreneurs through relevant market research,and advocate for innovation in education.
It will also bolster corporate initiatives in achieving their commitments toward educational outcomes through evidence-based research and engagement with policymakers in SA and across the African continent, it notes.
It is widely accepted that most of Africa’s education and training programmes suffer from low-quality teaching and learning, as well as inequalities and exclusion at all levels, notes Injini.
Within education and edtech, the sharing of ideas and working together to achieve goals is paramount not only to the continent’s success, but also to that of its students.
Research can assist in mitigating the risk of project failure when implementing educational solutions, it adds.
Krista Davidson, executive head of Injini, explains: “Injini has always had the objective of improving educational outcomes on the continent in a way that is centred around supporting edtech entrepreneurs from across Africa.
“Our new research offering has allowed us to expand our mandate to ensure we are including all stakeholders in the education value chain, which we hope will drive the quality, accessibility and relevance of education in Africa in the right direction.”
Injini works with edtech start-ups and business leaders to collaboratively define a number of company milestones to achieve over the course of the acceleration partnership, and then designs a programme to help the business succeed. The personalised support package includes financial support, coaching, mentorship and upskilling opportunities.
During a panel discussion at the recent launch event, Brian Schreuder, former superintendent general of the Western Cape Department of Education, said: “Educators should be included in research about edtech in classrooms as they are implementers of educational tools and are always willing to work towards the best outcomes for their students.
“Such research initiatives are a need in our society because although the state contributes significantly, there is a disconnect in the evidence due to the lack of resources to share the work with the public. This is the perfect platform for partnerships to emerge.”
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