7 students design "Jotter" digital platform

Seven young Zimbabweans have designed the Jotter digital platform which will be used for research and interaction between teachers and learners.

The seven, are National University of Science and Technology (NUST) computer science students Bongani Dube, Tinashe Goko and Kudzaishe Bhuza, Lupane State University (LSU) Development Studies student Rudo Mudzingwa, Sibongumusa Ncube from Africa University where she is doing a degree in International Relations, Melissa Gonda, a Social Work graduate from the University of Zimbabwe and Rukudzo Nyoka, a Social Science graduate from the African Leadership University in Mauritius.

The group got help from Friedrich Naumann Foundation Zimbabwe to design Jotter, in response to effects of Covid-19 on learning.

Jotter is an integrated digital platform that seeks to cater for both learners and educators’ needs with study material accessed using internet connectivity or short message code for offline browsing on any type of mobile phone that is connected to a local mobile network service provider.

Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education chairperson Cde Torerai Moyo said Parliament and Government were committed to empowering young people to realise their goals and become job creators, urging them to be innovative and invest in research for them to be actively involved in the country’s industrialisation programme.

The group’s innovation was patented by Parliament with support from the Ministry of Finance.