Paving the Way for EdTech Innovation in Zambia

BY: James Brewett, Koloso
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Zambia's education system is at a critical juncture, grappling with two unstoppable megatrends—one exerting unprecedented pressures and the other holding the potential for a paradigm-shifting solution.
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The demographic megatrend

By 2050, one in three children worldwide will live in Africa, with the urban population in the region set to reach nearly one billion. This population growth and urbanisation will force fundamental changes in education systems' capacity and capability. Not only will the number of children needing education double or more, but the perspectives and economic options that come with city life will increase demand for education, preparing children for urban jobs rather than rural life.

Zambia's education system is already under strain, with school completion rates well below two-thirds and a staggering 99% of children at late primary age lacking reading proficiency. However, there is a glimmer of hope in the form of the second megatrend – the increasing accessibility of technology, which could be harnessed to transform the educational landscape.

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The technology megatrend

‍Rapidly expanding digital infrastructure and cheaper smart devices are facilitating new approaches that could improve access to quality education at scale. Zambia has made significant progress in improving connectivity and affordability, catching up to the rest of the region. It is forecast that in the next decade or so, approximately 100 million school-age children in sub-Saharan Africa will have access to data and a smart device, presenting an innovation opportunity.

Despite Zambia's population enthusiastically adopting commercial mobile technology, the uptake of digital tools in classrooms has been slow, often relying on unsustainable philanthropic funding, with a few exceptions in innovative private schools. This contrast suggests that neither lack of demand nor resistance to change are the real obstacles to innovation in education.

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A commercial approach to EdTech

In this context, we started working on in 2022. Initially conceived as a recreational mental arithmetic game, we realised our two-minute, ten-question quiz could have a more substantial potential through user research. Consequently, Koloso evolved into a digital teacher assessment assistant designed to provide individual learning insights to maximise each child's potential.

Drawing from our founding team's experience in international development, we consciously pursued a commercial route, aiming to demonstrate the viability of deploying an EdTech product at scale that could bring sustainable systemic change – the only way we envisage achieving the required impact.

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The Koloso product

After 18 months of development, prototyping, and testing, supported by local angel investors, we are finally ready to launch Koloso. As our product hits the market, we recognise that achieving change requires numerous contributions, which is why we emphasise the business opportunity we are pursuing.

To quote James Surowiecki on improving American education, "The historical evidence is that the greatest successes come from a series of targeted, incremental steps that confront the variety of problems one by one." The challenge and opportunity await Zambia's EdTech sector.

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