Cathund School Software Application

We are committed to solving the problem of accessibility of comprehensive Library to all learners, especially those living under $2 PPP a day.This software application development is a technological innovation that would address the problem of compulsory gathering together, classroom teachings or meeting between students and teachers, teachers and head of school, regulatory bodies/ ministries etc.The application will prevent standstill and breakage in the academic calendar and learning process of students especially in the time of outbreak of a pandemic like corona virus.

The application will be used to monitor the activities of teachers and students, their progression, and achievements, monitor the location of the teachers at any point in time. This would in effect prevent truancy and examination manipulation and malpractices. 

It would help the poor by bringing quality education to their door steps. The quality of students and competence of teachers would improve over time.

Library Problem: Students in Nigeria and Africa face a big challenge when it comes to accessibility and affordability of qualitative and comprehensive library. Hence, the development of this Application would help tutors and learners to gain easy access to all recommended textbooks, journals etc at their finger tips, customized for specially for the subscribing school.

Truancy: In Nigeria, Olley (2006) found from his study that 46% of young people who lack parental supervision reported history of truancy. About 18% of teachers don't go to the classroom. The application will aid close monitoring and evaluation of teachers and students, prevent truancy and examination manipulation and malpractices. 

Meeting, Training and Workshop Problem: Teachers Profession development training is lacking in most schools in Africa. This could be because of the risk of traveling, cost of logistics, unavailability of materials etc. This application will be used for conducting online video teaching and workshop for a thousand participants at a time to save cost.  

According to UNESCO, in 2018, 258.4 million children were out of school, representing one-sixth of the global population of this age group.Hence, it will help poor people especially those living under $2 PPP a day to gain access to quality education.

The software would have an inter-phase between students, teachers and head of schools such as principals, head masters and ministries of educations. This will give ministries of education ability to be able to coordinate all principals and headmasters under their supervision rights from the headquarter in Nigeria or across Africa at scale. It will also make a wide range of books to be available to students.

The application will be compatible with IOS, androids and mac windows which would be able to access the device audio, camera, microphone, documents of the host and its subsidiaries.

It will be able to function both online and offline. This means that, the library can be accessed offline once the books have been downloaded. Once the application is downloaded, one should be able to explore some available options. 

The application will be programmed such that, at the point of downloading it, once clicked, you’ll  have to choose your level of education to proceed.

All functions of the application will be able to work independently of each other. In other word, a user may decide to use the library only, lesson note, or curriculum etc. All this can be done without connecting to the internet.

The target population are school age children in Nigeria and Africa at large, especially in Northern Nigeria where thousands don't have access to quality education. We would also focus on the girl child who in most families have been abandoned just to train the boys only. It is also extended to tertiary institution where high technological advancement in education is required.

To understand their needs, we have delved into extensive research that aims to provide solution to problems in the education sector.

We engage them through their supervising bodies, agencies, ministries in the  local, state and federal government level. We would also make arrangement to train all students and teachers on the use of the application.

In Northern Nigeria, literacy for the girl child is on the low side, most especially digital literacy. Many families don't allow their female children access to education. They would have access to enough books to help them focus on their education. 

This application will definitely Strengthen competencies, particularly in STEM and digital literacy, for girls and young women. After they must have graduated from school, they will then be employable and be a great asset to the society.

Our innovation is an improvement on existing technology of mobile App such as online library, zoom, school planner, teachers kit, school's curriculum etc. All this and more will be combined in one App- Cathund School Software Application. This will achieve more success for the following reasons: 

1.The combination of this various technology will bring about competency and efficiency among teachers and students, teachers can give assignments, quiz, test or examinations to the students and assess them concurrently with the grading system made available. The students can get their results immediately or later, depending on how the teacher wants it.This would put to an end examination malpractice by students and manipulation by teachers.

2. It would solve problem of truancy among students and teachers. 

3. Students would have access a comprehensive library and up to date syllabuses and curriculum.

4. Development of this App will aid the regulatory bodies to monitor the school from the headquarters.

5. It would prevent breakage or standstill in school activities even in extreme situations because learning is continuous here. 

6. The teachers can prepare their lesson note/ lesson plan on the App. The head of school or supervisor can assess and review the note/plan on the App and give their recommendations and suggestions immediately.

Cathund School Software Application will have 3 phases combined in one App. That of primary, secondary and tertiary level of education. Any who wishes to download the App will be asked at the point of download of the type he/she wants.

Cathund School Software Application is a software application that would be powered by IOS, Andriod And Mac or Window to function. It would be launch on Application store for everyone to be able to access it around the world. The device would be able to access network of ones's choice.

The application would be three in one. Whenever anyone wishes to download it, it would require that the person select from available options, that is, whether the person wants that of Primary, Secondary or Tertiary institution. 

We would be using technology similar Zoom for the meetings, classroom, and workshop.

We would use goggle form technology for assessment and grading system including marking of lesson plan/note. In the library section, all recommended books uploaded can be downloaded to the App. 

The App will work with radio-like signal to monitor and prevent truancy on the part of Students and teachers.

A similar technology works in Edo State, Nigeria, using RoboRave, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology among others. The app is used to take attendance of both Students and teachers, it tells both arrival and departure time. Teachers no longer make flimsy excuses for not doing their job right. Headmasters and Teachers, each having personal computers and smart phones with which they access daily lessons and take attendance froma the central support system. Overall, it has improved learning in Students.

The application works like various technology already available such as goggle form, zoom, online and offline library and more. Cathund School Software App will be a combination, it will not require/consume so much data because it will work offline most time.

In the course of our survey, the following have being identified: 

The problem of Library is a big one in Africa. With our innovation, we wish solve this problem by means of a comprehensive library inbuilt in a software Application. Since the world is going digital, students, teachers, head of schools and government would learn and take the initiative to use this technology. Students will be able to excel because they would have access to an affordable and comprehensive Library that would assist them in preparing for their examinations. The application will aid monitoring and evaluation of teachers and students, prevent manipulation and malpractices. Poor students who don't have the means to purchase quality textbooks, which are really expensive in Africa would not lack. In the long run, there would be equality in the quality of education among the rich and poor.

The problem of Truancy and teachers competence: In Africa, the percentage of students that drop out of school, refuse to get to school or shrink from responsibility in school is greater than those really in school. Hence we need to seek ways to cultivate, once again the interest of our children. The use of this App will make it easier for students to write their test, assignments and even examinations. They will be able to read and pass with ease. In the long run, they will cultivate natural interest for school and its various activities and stop skipping schools and classes. Teachers would be closely monitored by means of the Application. Precise attendance to the school premises and even to the scheduled lecture could be taken by means of the application via thumb print and some other tracking inventions. Lesson note/plan could be prepared here and sent to the Head of Teachers to evaluate, thereby improving the competence of the teachers. 

Improved Teachers Training, Classroom Teaching: Most schools are not able to organize training for their tutors because of cost. Classroom teachings have been suspended in adverse situations. This application will accommodate 1,000 individuals online, hence classes and training can be continuous and regular.

This prototype will begin with all secondary and tertiary institution under Kaduna State government in Nigeria. The teachers/ lecturers and students that would have access to the application in the pilot stage would be ten thousand (10,000).

Within a year, after the application use most have been perfected, we would extended our boundaries to the whole of Nigeria. Both private and government organization/Schools would be involved in this pilot stage. Minimum of thirty-thousand (30,000) individuals would have been able to download and use this application.

In 5 years, about one hundred and fifty million (150 million) around Africa would use this application efficiently. At scale, various government and private own institution of learning must have imbibed this application in their regular teaching and communication processes.

Our solutions will have a transformational impact on the lives of 30,000 persons within a year and about 150,000,000 in 5 years. Their lives will change for better because this population will include people live below $2 dollar PPP and whole have access to little or no quality Education. 

We wish to achieve these impact goals through collaborations and partnership with government agencies, Non governmental organisations, Universities, ministries, parastatals, companies such as coca cola, Dangote groups etc to make adverts on the software application. Government would be glad to utilize this opportunity because they are currently seeking ways/methods to prevent further breakage or standstill in the learning process of school children. 

Unavailability of funds to carry out some necessary marketing procedures and creation of the application. Due to our financial barrier, we are seeking this grant from your organisation in other to achieve and building this live transforming application. 

In addition to this, we would need lots of technical experts due to the intensity of the innovation. We would need experts in the area of test and measurements, education technology, ICT in education, artificial intelligence, Application developer, and more. We would need travel round the word to get the best.

Financial Barrier: We would do so by seeking for grants, just as we are doing right now. When we get this grant/money, it will be divided into 3 parts.

First: this part would be used in the creation of Cathund Schools Software Application

Second: this would be used to sponsor our marketing team, in other to take the application to where we project it to be.

Lastly, the remaining part would be used in establishment of a formidable operation office, where clients can come in at will for business purposes.

Technical Barrier: We have met some highly technical minded individuals/ experts across the world that are willing to contribute their intelligence to the success of Application development. 

Full-time staff: We have six (6) full time staffs.

Part-time Staff: There are about Five (5) part-time staffs, and they are made up of Professors and doctors in the area of Education.

Contractors: We have about 2 contractors from across the world. High Tech companies ready to invest their knowledge. 

Other workers: There are about two in number.

The collective skill in our team include persons who are vast in the area of education technology, ICT in education, Librarian, Guidance and counseling, financial and business experts.

Most of them are professors and doctors in the field of education with at least 15 years working experience. Some of them are lecturers in Well known Universities in Nigeria.

Cathund Research and Educational Consultant LTD is currently partnering with University of Abuja in Teachers Professional Training, Development and Capacity Building Workshop for primary, secondary and tertiary institution.

We also partner with Veritas University, Abuja in health programmes. facebook link, Linkedin, instagram link, Twitte

r, website

We have a pyramid of reaching out to people, that is we start from the top to the bottom. Here, we network our potential customer or people we serve. With our current business, we will be able to network people and make everyone benefit from our services both the rich and the poor. We make sure to get to the grassroots to enrich their lives. This business model will help bring quality education to all, equality among the genders, rich and poor. In terms of revenue, we would collaborate with the government in other for them to provide and subscribe the application for teachers and students in government schools to save cost for all.

Our product and services includes the introduction of an Application that would proof to be life changing to the public, in the sense that, it will provide and give way to many students, especially female students that are struggling to go to school in Nigeria and Africa at large.

Africans needs this App to better improve the quality of education and graduates produced by schools. It will create job opportunity for thousands of people

We would keep applying for grant to sustain the process.

We would partner with governmental organisations, parastatal, educational orientated non governmental organisations, private companies to support or place adverts on the App in return for funds. 

We would also sell our product directly to schools or organisations in need of such application.

Financial and Technological barrier mentioned earlier in the "More About Your Solution" page is a serious problem we would want Solve to help us tackle.

We would want Solve to provide us with Grants to help establish/ develop this Cathund School Software Application.

We would also appreciate technical support from you to boost the knowledge, innovation and ideas already in place.

We would need partners that would assist in building a very robust business model.

Our innovation is technological based, hence we would need to partner with word class technology development companies to establish it.

Since this Application is expected to cover a wide range of network, we would need to partner with companies that deals with Product and Services Distribution, Marketing, Media and Exposures.

We are currently facing some financial barriers, hence we would need to partner with some financial institutions for support.

The strength and weakness of the App will be known if we partner with Legal and Regulatory organisations to help set boundaries.

Monitoring and Evaluation partnership will help us to know the strength and weakness of the Solution, improve the quality and quantity of its content and meet world class standards.

Federal Government of Nigeria

State Governments in Nigeria

Local Governments in Nigeria

Non Governmental Organisation in Nigeria

Microsoft

The World Bank Group

Technical University of Denmark

Save the Children

Red Carpet Capital Limited UK

Olam International

Novartis Foundation

Nike

Merian Ventures

MIT HK Innovation Node

Leap Ventures

Inter- American Development Bank

Johnson and Johnson

Innovation Norway

HP

Global Manufacturing and Industrialization Summit

Cisco

Capital One

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court 

The App comes as a result of inspiration received from research conducted on women access to textbooks, quality education and classroom learning in Northern Nigeria. By the time the technology is fully deployed, women would be the major beneficiary. They will now gain assess to textbooks, decent learning and full understanding of ICT which is the most revolutionized industry in the world today.

So with this brief explanation, we can say that we are qualified for the Women Prize. 

The App comes as a result of inspiration received from research conducted on women access to textbooks, quality education and classroom learning in Northern Nigeria. By the time the technology is fully deployed, girls and women would be the major beneficiary. They will now gain assess to textbooks, decent learning and full understanding of ICT which is the most revolutionized industry in the world today.

So with this brief explanation, we can say that we are qualified for the GM prize on learning for Girls and Women.

This Application when it scales will capture the whole world. It would solve the problem of accessibility to comprehensive and Customized library, which will be first of its kind. It will be to the advantage of the poorest of the poor, most especially people living under $2 PPP, girls and women education. 

This is a big problem we are solving because this is a deviation from a normal library we know. It is going to be very accessible on mobile phones and compatible with Android, IOS, Mac or Window. This innovation is acting on already existing technology, improving it and making suitable for use in the whole world.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

The Projects is a software application meant for school programme. The first phase for secondary and primary schools in Nigeria and Africa. Afterwards, as the Projects scales, second phase would be extended to all higher institutions Africa. The software would have an interphase between students, teachers and head of schools such as principals, head masters and ministries of educations. This will give ministries of education ability to be able to coordinate all principals and headmasters under their supervision rights from the headquarter, supervising ministries or agencies in Nigeria or across Africa at scale. It will also make a wide range of books to be available to students.

DESIGN/ HOW IT WILL WORK

The software will also contain the following, a comprehensive library, syllabus and curriculum, lessons notes/plan portal, portal for assessment of or by teachers, principals or headmaster. It will also be able to host large meeting at a time.

Library: The library will be very comprehensive; hence it will be divided into two. The first is the General library, then the specific/ special library. It will be created uniquely for each category of schools, i.e. Primary, secondary and the higher institution.

General library:  This portal will contain all books used and recommended by regulatory bodies of the level of education in question.

Special library: This library will specifically be developed to meet the needs of all schools and clients. It will be linked with the special syllabus and curriculum of the school. Each schools, teachers and students under this coverage will have a unique identification code that will be used in gaining access to this library. This is because it will be customized to them only.

Curriculum/Syllabus: The application will contain curriculum/ syllabus available for the level of education in question. This syllabuses/ curriculum when reviewed by regulatory bodies, will be updated immediately.

Lesson Plan/ Lesson Notes:  The application will also contain a portal for lesson note and lesson plan, whereby teachers can plan and write his note. This means that the app will be able to work with MS word or any other software that enhances writing. Within the environment of lesson note/plan, there will be a segment that permits the HOD, head or schools, principals, or head masters to assess and give their recommendations to the teachers involved.

Meetings: The application will be used for conducting online video conferencing, meetings, workshops and seminars. Advanced communication between head of schools and the supervising ministries, head of schools and teachers and other staffs. It will also have the ability to host about 1,000 participants at a time. This will reduce the cost of logistics for the school/ organization involved.  

Frequently Asked Questions/Help/Contact- Any who visits this portal should be able to solve questions regarding the functionality of the application independently. They should also be able to ask for help and contact our source.

Compatibility: The application will be compatible with IOS, androids and mac windows which would be able to access the device audio, camera, microphone, documents of the host and its subsidiaries.

Flexibility:

• The application will be able to function both online and offline. This would mean that, the library can be accessed offline once the books have been downloaded, except for books that have not yet being downloaded. Once the application is downloaded, one should be able to explore some available options.
• The app will be programmed such that, at the point of downloading it, once clicked, you’ll be asked if you want to download for primary and secondary school or tertiary institution. You will then select your desired option.
• All functions of the application will be able to work independently of each other. In other word, a user may decide to use the library only, lesson note, or curriculum etc. all this can be done offline without connecting to the internet.

Surveillance: The application will be used to monitor the activities of teachers and students, their progression, and achievements, monitor the location of the teachers at any point in time. The application will also be used to take the attendants of teachers and students. This will assist/ enhance the managements’ ability to monitor closely the activities of students and teachers. However, the attendance can only be taken when they are in the school premises.

Students/ Teachers Activities:  If the institution, government or organization decides to use the application for their students, then the students’ side of the app has to be activated. In that case, the schools’ management will have to purchase tablets, that is compatible with the app such as android, IOS, Mac or Window operating system.

When that is done, students will be able to do the following:

• Access the library
• Write test or any given assignment on the app
• Communicate with their teachers.

Teachers on the other hand, will be able to access students with an automatic grading system. Once the grading is done, the results could be seen by the principal, head of school or any other quality monitoring department. This would enhance efficiency and reduce academic fraud on the part of the students and teachers.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aims and objectives of this project is to boost learning and teaching using advanced of technology in Nigeria and by extension, Africa. It will also reduce the expenses made by institution and governments in the education sector, save time and energy. The application will prevent standstill and breakage in the academic calendar and learning process of students especially in the time of outbreak of a pandemic like corona virus. If schools are shutdown, learning can proceed via the application classroom provision.

GOALS

The goal of this project is to;

• Enhance efficiency and competence among teachers, students and the school administration.
• Embrace technology and to apply it in the learning and teaching process, especially in this part of the world (Africa).
• Reduce truancy among students and teachers.

All the above only proves that we are qualified for the Future Planet Capital Prize.