There is no denying it, the rise of mobile technology has transformed education across the globe, and Africa has not been exempt from this revolution. With access to smartphones and the internet growing, students across the continent are finding new ways to participate in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
Yet, the challenge remains to ensure all capable students who wish to venture into STEM fields get adequate training and make positive changes across the continent. Due to its increasing popularity and the finacial gain that can be achieved from jobs in the field, STEM courses tend to be costly. This presents an issue in a continent like Africa, where the majority of impoverished persons cannot be overlooked.
To begin fighting this issue, students do not need to start saving huge sums of money, hoping to one day afford a dream course, nor do they need to simply wait around for the continent’s conditions to improve. Rather, they can invest in learning through applications.
A new generation of apps is making STEM more accessible, affordable, and engaging for African students, allowing them to explore these fields in ways that were previously unimaginable. Here are five apps that are making a significant impact.
1. Eneza Education
Eneza Education is an interactive learning platform with over 5 million users across Africa. Available both on android and IOS, it allows students across Africa to access academic resources directly from their mobile phones. Initially focused on Kenya, Eneza has since expanded to other African countries. The app provides lessons, quizzes, and revision materials on core STEM subjects such as mathematics and science for primary and secondary school students, catering more to younger people in order to aid them in building a foundation.
What makes Eneza Education particularly incredible is its ability to operate on basic feature phones, making it accessible to students in rural areas who may not have access to smartphones or laptops. This accessibility is important in a continent where access to technology can be unstable and sometimes nonexistent.
2. ScholarX
ScholarX is a Nigerian app designed to connect African students with scholarship opportunities, but its influence in promoting STEM cannot be ignored. With specific scholarships for STEM courses at universities both locally and abroad, ScholarX empowers students and gives them access to higher education in these fields.
Beyond scholarships, ScholarX also provides mentoring services, helping students gain career guidance, particularly in STEM disciplines. The app’s focus on building networks for African students, combined with financial support, creates a pathway for aspiring scientists, engineers, and tech professionals.
Thousands of students have successfully found STEM scholarships through ScholarX, opening doors to educational and professional opportunities across Africa and beyond.
3. Africa Code Week (ACW)
Africa Code Week (ACW) is an initiative that started in 2015 and has since grown to become an annual event, reaching millions of young Africans with coding and digital skills. Even though ACW is not exclusively an app, its mobile platform is still used to provide coding tutorials, virtual coding workshops, and curriculum materials.
The most culturally relevant feature of this platform is the fact it offers free coding lessons in local languages, making it easy to understand by all kinds of people, even those in rural areas. By focusing on programming, a key aspect of the STEM field, ACW helps students from all over Africa develop critical digital literacy skills.
Since it began, Africa Code Week has trained over 4 million young Africans, empowering a new generation of coders and software developers across the continent.
4. uLesson
Last and certainly not least, there is the ulesson application. This is an edtech app with over 2million downloads was designed to make high-quality education more accessible to African students. The app offers video lessons, quizzes, and personalized learning experiences in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology, making it a comprehensive tool for students studying STEM subjects.
Famously known for its interactive learning methods, uLesson includes video tutorials taught by experienced educators, and provides quizzes that allow students to test their knowledge. uLesson has a library of resources that cater to students preparing for major African exams, such as the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). It provides African students with engaging, affordable access to STEM education.
In conclusion, STEM education is vital for Africa’s future, and mobile apps are playing a critical role in bridging the educational gap for students across the continent. From combining application-based learning and in-person studies like ACM to offering personalized study aids with uLesson, these apps are making it possible for African students to explore STEM fields regardless of their location or socio-economic background.
As the continent continues to embrace digital solutions, these apps are not only changing the way students learn but are also helping to cultivate the next generation of African innovators, scientists, and tech leaders.
