New app keeping parents, teachers connected

Standard One pupils at the Ilbisel Primary School. in Kajiado county goes through a computer class during a visit by ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru PHOTO: COURTESY

In an increasingly digital world, it is getting more difficult to keep track of important slips of paper.

There is now an app to help with this when it comes to retaining important information on how your child is performing at school, or what events teachers expect you to attend.

SkoolHub was created to bridge the communication gap between parents and the schools their children attend. At the click of a button, you can access details on your child’s performance, teachers’ comments on improvements needed, and upcoming school events.

The app is a web-based platform that enables educators to simplify and streamline documentation, and enhance communication with parents, which is expected to, in turn, improve learning outcomes.

Launched in February, SkoolHub is the brainchild of Pauline Warui, Jay Ng’ang’a, Loice Kamau and Stanley Nguru.

Positive reception

Ms Kamau and Mr Nguru first came across a version of the app when they lived in Australia. On relocating to Kenya, they decided to bring the idea home with them.

They partnered with Ms Warui and Ms Ng’ang’a to roll out SkoolHub as a franchise of Australia’s Kindyhub.

“We approached schools and the reception was positive. Three months later, the app is in more than 10 schools, with others set to come on board,” Warui said.

The app, which is available both on Android and Apple devices, comes with a menu that includes events, photos, communication, learning and feedback.

Upcoming events pop up as notifications to ensure parents do not miss scheduled activities at their children’s schools, while photos uploads images of pupils participating in various activities.

The communication page provides updates on school issues, such as transport delays; while learning passes on information on what a child studies each day, and their progress.

The feedback tab gives parents the opportunity to send their views on any of the information they get from the school.

“The app provides report cards, reminders, newsletters, assigned homework, notifications if a pupil falls sick, among other types of information,” Warui said.

“Unlike social media platforms that send out group chats, such as WhatsApp, SkoolHub ensures privacy, with information targeted at an individual parent, and it can be stored permanently.”

To sell the concept, she and her fellow directors approach schools and talk to them about the importance of the app. Once a school signs up, it gets an account and login credentials within 48 hours.

“We enable flexibility for schools that want to customise their links to add their own outcomes and philosophies,” Warui said.

Each class gets its own page, with the class teacher set up as the administrator. The school then loads data into the app.

The portal costs Sh250 per child per month, which can be added on to school fees.

“Our parent app tailors communication to the fast-paced lifestyles of busy parents, allowing round-the-clock access to their child’s information. It also supports quick and easy two-way communication through parent feedback, medical alerts and reminders to a smartphone or computer,” said Kamau.

Deeper knowledge

Parents also gain deeper knowledge of how their children are developing, and get the opportunity to be more involved in exploiting their learning potential.

“The app has had success already. In PlayStreet School on Denis Pritt Road in Nairobi, which is our best demo school, the app enabled 100 per cent parent attendance for school meetings and fees clearance — it was the first time this happened at the school,” Warui said.

In the few months it has been in the market, the biggest challenge the directors have faced in selling their app is a lack of or low Internet penetration in public schools, hindering uptake.

But with digitisation in education taking shape, Warui anticipates more schools and parents seeing the value in their app.

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