WhatsApp-based course platform in South Africa

Abstract

Representatives of the UN Nations had decided on 17 new Sustainable Development Goals to be reached by 2030. Goal four focuses on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. Therefore, this thesis aims to determine whether a business can be developed to help content creators reach the vast majority of the South African population by using WhatsApp as a course platform. Interviews with content creators were conducted to understand their needs and pain points with the current situation. Then experts in the fields of WhatsApp Chatbots and Learning Management System infrastructures were interviewed to find out how content creators’ pain points and needs can be tackled to provide them with a platform that is attached to WhatsApp. Based on the interviews, it was determined that a platform that uses WhatsApp for registration and communication between content creators and students should be developed. The platform would be a possibility to create a market for the population of South Africa, or Africa in general, where all different kinds of courses can be found.