The Sunday Mail
Farai Munjoma, U6 – Nyanga High School
When ingenuity meets excellence the result is breathtaking innovation. This is particularly true of a –student-generated web-based educational tool kit, affectionately known as the SHASHA PLATFORM. Since its inception last year, the web based learning portal has received tremendous acclaim from students all over the nation.
A brainchild of the Nyanga High School based J.A simulation company, Verity Holdings, the business has since proved that it is more than just fiction.
Its main objective is to liberate educational content on the internet and to make it accessible to all. The platform features notes on almost all Ordinary and Advanced level subjects and additional learning resources all of which can be accessed for free. The Chief Executive Officer of Verity Holdings, Mr. Farai Munjoma said that their aim in the development of Shasha was to break the geographical and monetary limitations that students face when trying to access basic learning resources.
On this project, the Nyanga High School boys worked closely with a software consultancy start-up, IdeaZim (Pvt) Ltd. The result was this useful tool-kit where a student from any sphere of life can download content for free. Even more interesting, is the fact that the platform allows interaction of students from various walks of life and the conducting of online seminars.
These inevitably stimulate the learning process and make it more fulfilling. As if this is not enough, students can win surprise prizes just by logging on to the platform. This is definitely a first in Zimbabwean Education.
Mr. Simbarashe Murondoti, the IdeaZim Chief Executive, said the platform was a step above some learning portals where the students were charged sums of money per month to access a sub-standard service.
Not only is this feature available to students for free, but it is also of high quality and has been endorsed by some of the most esteemed educators in the nation. For this reason, it is of prime importance that every student check out the website where this service can be accessed, namely www.shashaiseminar.com.
In terms of Social Service, the boys are surely shining. This is testified by their recent visit to Mt. Melleray Orphanage where they donated a DStv set and some basic commodities. Sources within their structures reveal that they are seriously re-engineering and re-designing the platform following some concerns about their design.
This is in sync with their consumer oriented approach to business. With the 21st century internet era, it is important to invest in low or no cost solutions to learning and Shasha is one such project. Its influence, even before its improvement has been breathtaking, and the Nyanga High School team will have much to testify when they go to Gabon to showcase this wonder. We pray they raise the nation’s flag high.
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