INJINI’S QUEST TO INCORPORATE TECHNOLOGY IN SOLVING SOUTH AFRICA’S EDUCATION NEEDS

By Busiswa Lutshaba

Injini was founded on the belief that innovation and technology - developed by Africa, for Africa - can help solve the continent’s most pressing education challenges. The registered Non-Profit Company based in Cape Town, South Africa, was created with the sole purpose of improving educational outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa. Founded in 2017, the organisation remains the only EdTech specialised accelerator in Africa.

Focus area programme components include research administered through a Think Tank model and developing edtech accelerator programmes to support early startups in the tech education space across Africa. The third component involves planned events like their annual SA Edtech event, making these some of the few interventions under their wing of support.

The organisation contributes towards its mission to increase quality, accessibility, and relevance of education in the region, Cape Town as an entry point, building up to the African Diaspora. Injini operates with the overarching mantra that by creating an enabling environment and supporting the development and implementation of education innovation in sub-Saharan Africa, especially those that are technology-based or enabled, educational outcomes throughout the region will improve. This follows from Injini’s understanding of the link between entrepreneurship, innovation and free markets, and the strength that can be found in aligning such efforts with publicly funded interventions.

Aligning Strategy With Sustainability

Injini has aligned their strategic growth plans with the sustainable world goals unique to quality education. Injini collaborates with various EdTech companies committed to empowering youth and narrowing the digital divide. Some of the organisations target individuals who may lack resources like owning a personal laptops or technology access, and they do this by assessing existing community resources.

Beneficiaries of the programming are encouraged to explore options available to them such as local libraries and community centres with computer and internet facilities. Additionally, many EdTech companies who are affiliated with Injini optimise their content for mobile devices, recognizing the widespread availability of mobile devices.

In their research efforts at Injini, the organisation prioritises inclusivity by tailoring surveys to the intended audience, ensuring a wide reach of offerings and employing accessible mechanisms. Recently, Injini conducted a survey using SMS, considering that a significant portion of the target demographic possessed mobile phones capable of receiving and sending text messages. This approach ensures that their research methods align with the technological landscape of the communities Injini aims to support.

Injini has several goals and objectives that will dictate their growth plan. These include:

• Supporting an additional 50 African EdTech startups through tailor made impactful acceleration programming.

• Injini's supported EdTech startups will rally behind the improvement in educational outcomes of 2 million more African learners.

• Injini's data and insights will contribute meaningfully to the ecosystem's understanding of the effectiveness of EdTech in the sub-Saharan African context.

• Injini will shift perceptions about EdTech as a viable solution to Africa's education challenges and foster increased collaboration amongst key stakeholders.

Injini has some key milestone since their inception in 2017 and these include:

• The launch of the Injini Think Tank in 2022: In 2022 Injini launched the Think Tank, its research division, as an avenue to produce and distribute research and insights about education and innovation that is for Africa and by Africa. The division aims to support EdTech entrepreneurs through relevant market research, support corporate initiatives in achieving their commitments toward educational outcomes and advocate for educational re- form through evidence-based research and engagement with policymakers in targeted African countries.

• The kick-off of the first Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Program in 2023: Injini and the Mastercard Foundation teamed up to launch the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Program. This accelerator program provides eligible startups with direct grant funding, product quality evaluation and certification, intensive skills development, coaching and mentorship, bespoke market research and market access through Injini’s network of stakeholders across the education innovation landscape.

Injini recently hosted the SA EdTech Week aimed to engage key stakeholders in the education sector and address emerging trends and challenges in EdTech. Injini partnered with the Mastercard Foundation and Wesgro to design and execute 2023’s edition of South African EdTech Week. “The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Program has been the single most impactful opportunity I have ever engaged with.” – feedback from one of the participants from the Edtech Weekday 3 event.

Injini continues to play a key role in developing and orchestrating the African EdTech ecosystem. The organisation is constantly exploring new approaches to convene and support the role players involved across the African education innovation value chain.