Leading educational software worth R100 Million will be given for free to teachers and learners in 500 schools 

Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA, August 31, 2021: Head Start Education has partnered with the Superiate Upliftment Program (SUP), to distribute a free, world class education to primary and high school learners and teachers nationwide. The joint initiative aims to drive the upliftment of learners throughout South Africa and mitigate the effects that COVID-19 has had on the school calendar.

The Pandemic has led to learners falling between 75 percent and a full school year behind where they should be, according to latest statistics by UNICEF. Rotational school attendance, sporadic school closures and days off for specific grades, have resulted in school children losing 54 percent of learning time. Furthermore, In 2017, the World Economic Forum ranked South Africa’s primary education 116th and its maths and science education as 128th out of 137 countries.

There is a clear need for South African learners to receive as much attention and quality resources in mathematics as possible. To help address these problems, Head Start Education has partnered with two leading education companies to provide educational software worth R100 million to 500 000 learners and teachers.

Head Start is a key distributor for SplashLearn, the leading game-based learning program in the world and Presto, an app which provides access to study guides written by the top-performing students in South Africa.SplashLearn creates engaging and scalable learning experiences to transform children into fearless learners. Its Pre-kindergarten to Grade 5 game-based learning program has an adaptive algorithm that offers each child a personalized learning experience that is fun and immersive.

SplashLearn also allows teachers access to its content library which covers 400+ curriculum-aligned math skills with over 6500 games and activities, to help students learn new math concepts through engaging game-based learning modules. It is currently used by more than 40 million children and 750 000 teachers in over 150 countries. Head Start has partnered with SplashLearn to provide free access to their maths program to all teachers in South Africa. This digital educational offering is valued at over R5000 per teacher.

As part of this Initiative, Presto is giving away their study hacks guide for free (worth R200) to all learners in South Africa. This book is packed with the best study strategies by the top performing students in South Africa, including a Rhodes Scholar and a learner who came first for Matric in 2012.“We believe that the use of SplashLearn will provide a world-class mathematics education to millions of South African students.

In addition, learners who use Presto Study Hacks, can improve their study skills, confidence, marks and critical thinking skills”, said Shivad Singh, the 26-year-old founder & CEO of Head Start Education. SUP (Superiate Upliftment Program) will be present in 500 High Schools throughout South Africa within the next 2 weeks.

The aim is to close the gap between commercial and upliftment offerings direct to learners, with the Department of Basic Education, allowing access to the educational software. In an attempt to uplift and to raise the standards of education and improve outcomes across South Africa.

The sign up is not restricted to the 500 High Schools and those surrounding communities - Learners, teachers, parents and/or guardians throughout South Africa can join the SUP program by signing up and gaining access to further SUP brand partner offers.

This campaign is one of the first steps in Head Start’s mission to improve education in South Africa. “Every child has the potential to be a genius”, says Shivad Singh, a News24 Young Mandela of the Future and Queen’s Young Leader.

“We believe the partnership with the Superiate Upliftment Program helps fulfill our mission to equip learners and teachers with the 21st century and digital skills that can make them a success in this globalized world and lead to an improvement in learner's marks, mental well-being and development.”For teachers and schools who want to access SplashLearn for free, simply visit: https://www.splashlearn.com/teachers/register and choose your country as South Africa while signing up.

To access the study hacks books, simply download the Presto Books app by searching “Presto Books” in the Google app store. Once the app is downloaded, click on the “Study Hacks” book to get your free guide for you or your child.

About Head Start Education
Head Start Education serves as the Gateway to Africa for the leading education technology companies in the world, in order to lead the advancement of education across the continent.  Head Start is a full-blown edtech provider, having exclusive licenses of over 20 of the leading educational apps world-wide and in South Africa. Head Start is seen as a ‘Netflix for Education’ with a catalogue that has over 50 000 activities, games, videos and pdf content. Their offerings are award-winning, internationally recognized and research-tested and provided at prices more economical than the market rate. Head Start aims to equip learners and teachers with the 21st century and digital skills that can make them a success in this globalized world and lead to an improvement in learner's marks, mental well-being and development.

Our Grade 9 learners are currently standing at the crossroad of having to make subject-choices. This, in itself, does not seem to be too big a deal... EXCEPT that the subject choices that they make now will impact their path into the future.  In addition, many, if not most, Grade 9 learners are not yet sure of what they want to do when they have finished school.

Cindy Glass, Director and Co-founder of Step Up Education Centres explains “Learners who are sure of the career they wish to pursue will inevitably source subject-packages that support their requirements for Tertiary entrance. We need to remember that career choices are infinite in number and, as a part of the human species, we also know that we can change our minds about where we want to go many times over.”

So, how can we help our not-sure-of-career-children make the most out of the subjects offered at school and how would they know that they have made the most effective subject-choices? Cindy offers the following tips:

1. Talk to your child about career choices and discuss what they may wish to pursue in the future. Keep an open mind. There are many paths that lead to success.  Listen without judgement, your intention will be to assist your child in making subject choices that will support a variety of options.  Ask:  What would you like to spend every day doing? Work together to learn about the daily activities of potential career-choices.  Would this make you feel happy and fulfilled?
   
   
2. Discuss their strengths and weaknesses. What subjects do they enjoy most?  Why is this? What subjects do they get the best results in?  Why is this? Which subjects best suit their learning style?
   
   
3. Encourage your child to focus on what they enjoy most. Once such a subject-package has been identified, do some research. What career options can be supported by those subjects?
   
   
4. Do not allow your child to choose subjects based on peer pressure or on a negative teaching experience.
   
   
5. Be careful of making a choice based on it being an ‘easier’ option. It is important to keep the mind challenged to avoid boredom and a loss of interest.
   
   
6. Seek advice from a teacher. The more information you have regarding the subjects on offer, the better you are able to make an informed choice.

Cindy concludes by saying “When all is said and done, encourage your child to choose subjects that will add value to their life, in whatever direction they choose to go.  If they choose subjects that they are passionate about, or at least have a strong interest in, they can’t go wrong!  There are many paths to success, school subjects are just one of them. Best wishes!”  

About Step Up
Established in 2016, Step Up Education Centres is a dynamic after-school remediation and tutoring franchise with a difference. Step Up offers children an opportunity to succeed in a schooling system that is, at times, very unsympathetic.  From the moment, a child walks through a Step Up Education Centre door they feel different.  They no longer feel silly or stupid. They no longer feel misunderstood. They no longer feel judged. After just one lesson they feel hope. They see possibility. After a few sessions, they walk taller, feel smarter, do better. Why? Because Step Up believes that every child has potential… and our passionate educators will not give up until they reach it!                                                                                                                                               

Press release disseminated on Behalf of:
Cindy Glass
Director and Co-Founder of Step Up Education Centres

Disseminated by: Carmen White
Account Manager
Sam Watt Marketing Communications
081 260 4011