Safaricom supports free access digital learning

Safaricom has partnered with education content creators to provide free access to students.

The telco is working with Longhorn Publishers, Eneza Education and Viusasa to ensure children access educational content at home. 

Learners have been at home since March 16 after the government suspended learning countrywide to prevent the spread of coronavirus in schools. 

Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa on Thursday said the company had been looking at ways of being present for its customers during the difficult time the country is facing alongside hundreds of others in the world.

“Through this initiative, we want to ensure that all students can access education content, whether through feature phones or smartphones, and keep up with their studies for the time they will be at home,” he said.

The partnership with Eneza Education will see students from Grade 4 to Form 4 access learning and revision content on the SMS-based Shupavu291 free of charge

This is following a 60-day waiver of the daily Sh3 subscription fee. 

For the next 60 days, learners will also access education content on Shupavu Web, Viusasa E-learning and the Longhorn E-learning portal through the Safaricom network -up to 250mbs per day - at no data cost.

Eneza Education CEO Wambura Kimunyu said the content will be delivered via SMS and does not require internet connection. 

The free access platforms will also be available on www.safaricom.com/elimu; Shupavu Web: www.mwalimoo.com/m; Viusasa E Learning: https://viusasa.com/elimu and Longhorn e-learning: https://elearning.longhornpublishers.com/login/index.php.

“This ease of access has seen more than 5.3 million students use the platform and Eneza Education is excited to partner with Safaricom to make the Shupavu291 learning platform available for free to learners across the country during this time,” she said. 

Shupavu291 is accessed via USSD *291# or through the shortcode 20851.

Edited by Henry Makori