A few years ago, I walked into a small community library in Bolgatanga and saw a group of primary school students huddled around a solar-powered tablet.
On the screen, a friendly animated character—speaking flawless Twi—was walking them through math problems using mangoes and cocoa pods instead of apples and dollars. The students laughed, nodded, and eagerly pressed through the next challenge. That moment stayed with me.
Because this wasn’t just another imported app trying to “solve education” in Africa. It was a locally designed tool, built by Ghanaians, for Ghanaian learners—culturally relevant, linguistically appropriate, and tailored to the reality of limited internet access. This is the power of local innovation in Edtech. And Africa, especially Ghana, is finally waking up to the fact that the best solutions for our education challenges will come from us.
Why local matters
Too often, we import glossy educational apps from abroad—tools that work beautifully in Finland or California but fall flat in classrooms where chalkboards still rule, connectivity is patchy, and lessons must relate to our everyday lives.
A teacher once told me: “When a student doesn’t understand the word ‘snowman’ in a reading comprehension passage, how do you expect them to answer the questions?” That’s the gap local Edtech solutions are stepping in to bridge. These tools aren’t just about technology. They’re about context. Culture. Connectivity. Language. And most importantly, people.
The rise of African-built Edtech
Let’s zoom out a bit. Across Africa, the Edtech scene is buzzing. According to Partech Africa, in 2023 alone, African Edtech startups raised over $100 million in funding. While Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa lead in numbers, Ghana is increasingly showing up as a bold contender, especially in Francophone-bordering regions and with pan-African ambitions.
Some standout Ghanaian innovations include:
- eCampus Ghana – A mobile-first learning platform offering self-paced courses for SHS and tertiary students. It uses analytics to track learner progress and even includes gamified quizzes tailored to the West African Examination Council (WAEC) syllabus.
- Mavis Talking Books – A low-cost, solar-powered audio learning device loaded with locally voiced lessons in English and Ghanaian languages. Ideal for rural learners without internet access.
- Chalkboard Education – This offline-first platform lets universities deliver content via SMS and USSD codes. It’s used by institutions in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
- TECHAiDE – Through tools like “ASANKA” (a local content server) and “EDULab,” TECHAiDE has helped more than 500 schools and community centres across Ghana access digitised educational materials—without needing the internet.
These aren’t imported miracles. These are homegrown heroes. And they’re proving that when we build with our own realities in mind, the impact runs deep.
Rooted in reality: What sets local solutions apart
1. Connectivity awareness – Many Ghanaian Edtech startups are designing for low bandwidth—or no bandwidth at all. They don’t assume high-speed Wi-Fi. They work with basic feature phones, intermittent power, and zero-frills hardware.
2. Linguistic & cultural relevance – From Ga to Ewe to Dagbani, several tools are starting to include audio and text content in local languages. This is vital—especially in early childhood education—where learning in your mother tongue lays a stronger foundation.
3. Curriculum alignment – Unlike foreign platforms, local startups tailor their content directly to Ghana’s GES curriculum or WAEC requirements. That means students using these tools aren’t just learning—they’re preparing effectively for the very exams that determine their future.
Beyond tools – Building a society we’re proud of
But let’s never forget the deeper goal. Education isn’t just about skills or certifications. It’s about nation-building. Every great society is built on the shoulders of capable, competent, audacious, empathetic, and patriotic citizens.
That kind of human resource doesn’t emerge by chance. It is nurtured—through education that connects head to heart, skills to service, and ambition to purpose.
Local Edtech innovators have a unique opportunity—and responsibility—to embed those values into the tools they create. Whether it’s an app that encourages teamwork, a platform that teaches African history, or a quiz that rewards creativity, every click should be building something bigger than test scores.
Challenges & the road ahead
Of course, this isn’t without hurdles.
- Funding is scarce – Only a fraction of African Edtech startups get early-stage capital. Ghana, despite its strong talent pool, still sees too many great ideas fizzle out for lack of seed money.
- Policy support is thin – National education strategies often lag behind the pace of innovation. Startups need clearer pathways to integrate into public education, pilot in schools, and get validation.
- Talent drain is real – Young African developers with bold ideas often relocate to Europe or the U.S. for better opportunities, leaving a gap in local innovation leadership.
But there’s hope. With the right investment, mentorship, and regulatory support, local innovation can thrive—and scale.
What Ghana must do
- Create innovation sandboxes – Let schools and startups test solutions in controlled environments, gathering real feedback before nationwide rollout.
- Offer local innovation grants – Government and private foundations should support early-stage Ghanaian Edtech founders with funding, mentorship, and access to pilot schools.
- Celebrate and buy local – If government schools spend millions importing content platforms each year, why not redirect that budget to homegrown platforms that understand our kids?
- Build regional Edtech hubs – Tamale, Kumasi, Cape Coast—all can be innovation hotspots if supported with internet, co-working spaces, and teacher-training programmes.
In conclusion – Let’s believe in our own
The power of local Edtech innovation lies not just in the code, the design, or the curriculum alignment. It lies in the belief that we can solve our own problems. When our students learn through stories they understand, in languages they speak, using tools built by people who look like them, something magical happens:
They believe they belong in the future. And that belief—powered by smart, inclusive, locally-made solutions—is what will shape the Ghana we all want to be proud of. So let’s invest in our creators. Let’s support our innovators. Because the best version of our education system won’t come from Silicon Valley. It will come from Kanda, Kasoa, Kumasi, and every corner of Ghana where bold ideas are blooming.
>>>the writer is President of Ghana Edtech Alliance. He can be reached via [email protected]
