Introduction
The use of education technology (EdTech) is increasingly becoming the norm within the education sector, particularly in enhancing the crucial relationship between learners, teachers and content. Recognising that learners come with backlogs from previous grades, Zenex understands that EdTech has the potential to provide learners with the support they need to close gaps in foundational knowledge through offering individualised learning pathways and opportunities for practice.
Zenex is piloting three initiatives to address English and Mathematics backlogs in Grade 4, using EdTech solutions to improve learner performance in these subjects. The platforms are designed to allow learners to practice grade level content as well as foundational concepts. Two of the Projects focus on Grade 4 mathematics and the third focuses on Grade 4 English. These Projects draw on strong pedagogical approaches, aligned with the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) and the Annual Teaching Plans (ATPs). The interventions are designed to accommodate the competency levels of individual learners while building teacher capacity to integrate technology into classroom practice.
Project Overviews
The Reflective Learning Foundation (RLF) is addressing English backlogs in the Cape Winelands, Western Cape, through a two-year Project (2025–2026) in 20 schools. Grade 4 learners use two complementary software tools: Graphogame, which develops phonics, and Reflective Learning, which builds fluency and comprehension. Learners participate for one hour per week during English lessons, supported by community-based facilitators trained in both software use and session delivery. The Project focuses on closing learning gaps while building grade-ready competence.
In Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal, the Edutech Institute is using the Mindspark programme to support Grade 4 learners with Mathematics content in 20 schools. Learners engage with the software for two hours per week, supported by facilitators who dedicate 20 hours weekly to each school. Mindspark offers diagnostic assessments, data-driven interventions, bilingual learning pathways, and gamified rewards. Similarly, JET Education Services is running a two-year Project in Central Johannesburg using the Eduten software, which provides over 200,000 problems and detailed feedback. Learners are motivated through points, badges, and leaderboards that encourage continuous progress.
All three Projects will focus on direct learner support but will include capacity building for teachers.
Objectives
The overarching goal of these Projects is to mitigate learning backlogs in English and Mathematics at Grade 4 by using EdTech. By filling content knowledge gaps early, learners are better equipped to meet the increasing curriculum demands of higher grades.
Outcomes
The Projects offer several key benefits:
- precise and targeted interventions for each learner using data analysis;
- enabling teachers to leverage EdTech solutions to address misunderstood content;
- providing teachers with insights into learner weaknesses and progress, enabling customised teaching;
- more effective learning through instant, detailed feedback that helps learners correct errors immediately; and
- continuous learner improvement, ensuring mastery of concepts previously found difficult.
Evaluation
To better understand whether and how these EdTech solutions work, Zenex has commissioned Benita Williams Evaluation (BWE) to conduct an 18-month evaluation running alongside the three Projects through to the end of 2026. The evaluation responds to a broader gap in the evidence base: while EdTech holds real promise for improving teaching and learning, there is still limited proof of which modalities are effective in under-resourced, developing-country classrooms. It therefore examines how each Project was onboarded and rolled out, the fidelity, adoption and usage of the platforms by learners and teachers, and, ultimately, whether the interventions improve both foundational knowledge and grade-level performance in English and Mathematics.
The evaluation follows a multi-methods design, combining qualitative and quantitative evidence to build a full picture of what is working, why, and under what conditions. Qualitative data, gathered through interviews and surveys with teachers, facilitators and subject advisors, alongside classroom observations, provide insight into how the platforms are being used, the quality of training and support, and the relevance of the content. Quantitative data are drawn from platform monitoring data and from baseline and endline learner assessments administered to around 1,800 learners across 15 project schools, alongside matched control schools, allowing the evaluators to measure the Projects’ impact on learner performance and triangulate these findings against the qualitative evidence.