IDEA VIRTUAL SCHOOL SOLUTIONS

Universal access, low student engagement, informal curriculum
alignment and limited measurability of educational outcomes are
all key problems with the current remote or virtual learning
programs undertaken in large scale public-private educational
technology deployments. COVID-19 has further widened the gap
between remote, peri-urban, low-income public sector students
and private education students.

IDEA has created an outcome, data-driven and interactive virtual
school solution that is device and connectivity agnostic. Working
on a mobile phone, tablet, computer or projector the IDEA
platform provides an immediate release plan for government
Departments including a learner management system, digital
curriculum, assessments and professional development training.
Having created all grades, for core-curriculum subjects, IDEA
provides an easily adaptable, fully aligned national syllabus
education platform. A 12-month study illustrated 35% increases
in Science proficiency and 28% increase in EGRA/EGMA results.
The limitations are in assuming every student has access to the
min. basic smartphone device but mobile saturation rates are
very high across Africa.

IDEA can be used as follows: 1) continuity of learning tool during
school shutdowns and while remote learning is required, 2) it can
also be applied as a curriculum recovery solution to assist in
curriculum trimming or remediation and 3) as a core-curriculum
self-paced learning and teaching tool.

Approved: IDEA has spent 5 years across 6 countries localizing
curricula, has created over 60,000 digital assets and deployed a
fully-functioning, tested and approved platform. The Rwanda
Education Board, Department of Basic Education, Mpumlanaga
Education Department and Western Cape Education Department
have all evaluated the curriculum and technical efficacy prior to
deployment.

IDEA’s next steps are in greater regulatory accreditation (such as
Umalusi in South Africa) so that the IDEA Virtual School can meet
more national education standards and be used as an alternative
during lockdown, to catch up and to assist students going
forward. The more national or provincial partners in the public
sector space means the more aligned the solution will be.