The African Development Bank has reported that less than 25% of African higher education students pursue STEM-related career fields. This is due to limited resources and a lack of skilled teachers to integrate STEM education from early primary to secondary school. Africa has the potential of improving its economic growth through a skilled workforce in science and technology; however, there are still systematic challenges that are affecting access to relevant and quality STEM education.
To help promote STEM education in sub-Saharan Africa, the Injini team held a Bootcamp for early-stage EdTech entrepreneurs that are focused on improving the quality and accessibility of STEM education from K-12. After 2 weeks of coursework and pitching to a panel of Judges, Skooqs walked away with a R5 000 cash prize and business mentorship from Injini. Skooqs is a Nigerian-based startup that offers an online learning platform to learners outside their traditional classroom setting. Congratulations to Oluwadamilola Soyombo for all the hard work during the programme.
In the last year, Injini has run several Virtual EdTech Bootcamps aimed at stimulating growth and development across the Sub-Saharan Africa EdTech ecosystem. Recently, Injini has worked with 10 EdTech startups from Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, and South Africa; who are building EdTech solutions that are designed to improve the accessibility, quality, and relevance of STEM education in Sub-Saharan Africa. The teams completed 12 hours of coursework, nine assessments and deliverables offered through the Injini Online Course. All the teams have shown dedication and commitment during the programme, and Injini is proud of all the work they have done during the programme.
The pitch event would not have been a success without the help from the panel of judges who are change makers and trailblazers in the EdTech space. Injini would like to thank Zandile Mkhwanzi, the CEO of Girl Code ZA, Rowan Spazzoli, who is the Innovative Finance Consultant and Researcher at Bertha Centre, and Mvelo Hlophe who is the Founder and CEO for Zaio and an Injini incubation alumni.
Congratulations to all the participants for the progress they have made during the programme, and thank you to our panel of distinguished judges for donating their time and expertise.
To stay updated on our Virtual EdTech Bootcamps, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
