Student researchers develop system to help parents track children’s school progress

Student researchers have joined forces to create a system aimed at bringing parents closer to their children’s academic progress, enabling them to provide support at home while helping teachers improve learner performance at school.

The system, Efunda Learning Management System (LMS), was developed after the students identified a common challenge: many learners disengage from schoolwork once they return home, while parents are often left unaware of their children’s academic progress until it is too late to intervene effectively.

The platform was co-created by Luthando Sibozo, a project management expert with an accounting background and an MBA candidate at Tshwane University of Technology. He is joined by Mfobe Ntintelo, a South African edtech software developer, and Zipho Luvuno, founder and product head of Efunda LMS, who specialises in systems design and digital product development.

According to the creators, Efunda generates meaningful insights that enable teachers, parents and school leaders to support learners more effectively. The system is designed for both primary and secondary schools. Sibozo told Daily Maverick that the platform was not intended to replace classroom learning, but rather to keep parents informed about what was happening at school.

“We noted that kids … can lie to their parents and say they have no homework. Parents also see results later sometimes, but if they can see things, they can push their children and track progress early,” said Sibozo.

He said that the system allowed parents to monitor their children’s grades, homework and attendance, while also enabling teachers to upload learning material. “We have also created a WhatsApp chatbot so parents can put in a child’s code, because we will create student numbers for the learners, then parents will be able to select what they want, such as grades and whatever else. If parents do not have data for the website, they can also use the WhatsApp access because most people buy WhatsApp data,” said Sibozo.

Parents’ reaction

Sibozo says the platform has already been piloted at several schools in the Eastern Cape, where teachers and principals were trained on how to use the system. He said the feedback from parents had been encouraging. “It is good. If even parents are not educated, it is still easy to see subjects on WhatsApp so they can follow their children’s work,” said Sibozo.

Daily Maverick also spoke to parents about their thoughts on the system and how it would benefit them. Parent Lindokuhle Lusiba said, “I think it’s a very good idea. I think it can save parents time instead of being called to meetings. I also think that it can be very useful in terms of knowing the areas where your child lacks and knowing where to focus your progress. If parents can track the progress daily, they can even be able to communicate with the children’s teachers or instructors with regard to their progress.”

Another parent who wished to remain anonymous said, “I think this app is a brilliant idea and very convenient because most parents or guardians work nine to five with little to no chance of checking their children’s homework. On top of that, they can’t attend the school meetings to check their progress, and [as] someone who comes from an underprivileged community, I love that it is accessible; people can access it any time they would like to.”

Educationist’s take

Daily Maverick also spoke to former further education lecturer and Stellenbosch University academic Tersia du Plessis, who said the system was promising, but questioned whether teachers would realistically have the time to upload all learning material and whether parents could help learners in complex subjects such as mathematics.

“I don’t know how effective it will be, because teachers are so overburdened, so now this is another step that the teachers have to do, to upload work... If you don’t get the teachers to upload the homework, then it has to begin there; maybe they have a system.

“From my point of view as a parent, I’ll tell you, even if I had an app on my phone that would tell me this child has this homework that’s due on that day, if you have three kids and they’re doing rugby and this one’s doing netball and this one has to be there at that time, and then there’s a notification going off that your 10-year-old has to finish this, I can see myself just shutting it off, so unless you can change the parent’s behaviour…” said Du Plessis.

Despite her concerns, Du Plessis said she would still like to see the system fully implemented and tested.

DBE involvement

Sibozo said the team had approached the Department of Basic Education about the project, but encountered challenges.

“We have tried to engage with the department of education, but the issue is that they tell you about processes, and they want to place things under a tender system, and this is not how we want to do this,” said Sibozo.

Daily Maverick has sent questions to the department. No response has been received. DM

To find out more or contact the brains behind the project, the details are: luthando.sibozo@efunda.co.za / 072 764 2343