This is how teachers can ensure online safety in the classroom

Digify Africa has announced that they have introduced a brand new WhatsApp learning bot called Kitso.

This bot is aimed at promoting online safety in the classroom.

“Kitso is designed specifically for educators and offers a convenient way for them to access a wide range of online safety content such as cyberbullying, harassment, misinformation, protecting your online space and understanding your digital footprint which will enable them to empower their learners with the tools they need to safely navigate the online space,” said Gavin Weale, founder and CEO of Digify Africa. 

According to a study conducted by Geopoll, (an organisation that provides mobile-based research solutions) mobile connectivity has grown significantly in South Africa since the introduction of the first mobile phone in 1994. The study estimates that 95% of the South African population owns a mobile phone.

Weale added that because of that, more teenagers have owned a phone and are active on digital platforms. While the wide web is a great space for teens to learn and grow, it also exposes them to a number of dangers.

“The WhatsApp learning bot Kitso is an exciting addition to the Ilizwe lam, ‘My World’ an online safety programme delivered by Digify Africa with the support of Facebook across high schools in South Africa. This youth-targeted programme promotes online safety and seeks to empower learners, teachers and parents with the tools they need to safely navigate their online space,” explained Weale. 

Weale also explained that Kitso’s main objective is to facilitate easy access to digital learning material to ensure that teachers are better equipped with the tools and online safety knowledge. This will translate to teachers being more informed and better positioned to understand the safety challenges young people face online and be able to better protect them and teach them how to be better digital citizens.

According to Weale, what’s unique about Kitso is that she is free, and accessible to anyone with a WhatsApp enabled phone. WhatsApp is known for its low cost and less data-intensive usage, offering a great way for teachers to upskill. “Kitso also provides an interactive learning experience with great features created to make the learning journey informative, engaging and fun. And because it’s all in their hands, educators can choose to learn at their own pace.

“We are excited at the potential of WhatsApp learning to offer limitless opportunities for us to drive digital inclusion and magnify our impact across the continent. We believe it will be a real game-changer in the way young and old receive educational content and will help us drive greater impact and accelerate digital upskilling to those who need it the most,” said Weale. 

Start your WhatsApp Learning today with Kitso.

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