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“65% of children entering primary school today will ultimately end up working in completely new job types that don’t yet exist today. This should make us think now about the skills we are teaching our children.” – The Future of Jobs Report 2020, World Economic Forum.
Data Scientists Network (formerly known as Data Science Nigeria DSN) has launched a digital education access and delivery platform that helps schools and parents to prepare African youths for the future of work and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. With a median age of 17 years and the increasing need for young Africans to participate in the digital economy, there is an urgency to prepare primary and secondary students in sub-Saharan Africa to access the over 230 million jobs which will require digital skills by 2030.
The product, “MacroTutor”, is an AI-powered, on-demand, and affordable edtech solution for schools and parents to access the best quality teachers and digital learning content in expert areas such as Coding, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Programming, Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Interaction Design, etc.
The platform will democratize access to world-class digital skill acquisition through a network of well-trained tutors who can deliver personalized and curriculum-based learning at students’ homes on a one-on-one basis or to a group of students in a school.
For schools, this will be a significant value-add to enhance students’ learning outcome while eliminating the additional cost of full-time digital/ICT teachers. MacroTutor will provide a cheaper alternative to high-quality teachers and world-class content at the rates that any low to medium-cost schools can afford.
With this inclusive, pervasive, and more affordable access to digital skills, no child is left behind across the continent.
MacroTutor’s product innovation is aimed to bridge the capacity gaps between what is currently being taught in Nigerian schools and the future-ready skills that learners will require to participate, contribute, and compete in the global world.
As it has been generally acknowledged, digital literacy and hands-on computing skills will become foundational competencies that every professional must have. Hence, the need to start early through bespoke and context-aware learning interventions built on the peculiar challenges of the emerging market, especially in the areas of the localized technological curriculum and distributed on-demand expert networks.
Speaking on the initiative, the Executive Director of DSN, Toyin Adekanmbi, described it as “a creative and innovative approach to democratize computer and ICT education in Nigeria, which ensures that any school can offer world-class digital subjects and provide future-focused learning to students without any cashflow strain and an additional salary cost. Old students associations and Parents-Teachers-Associations can even support their schools with dedicated digital education teachers”.
MacroTutor will be the ultimate destination to access the best digital teachers at the most affordable rate for parents and schools who desire to prepare their students for the skills and expertise to drive global competitiveness in the future.
Schools can get a tutor on the platform by visiting www.macrotutor.com. At the same time, parents can also download the app, “MacroTutor” from Google Play or Apple iOS store to request a tutor.
