Polokwane — Two young men from Gumbani village, near Malamulele in Limpopo, have turned their own schooling hardships into a digital resource aimed at closing learning gaps in rural classrooms.
From shared textbooks to a free learning app
Malungelo Mathonsi, 27, and Marvel Shibambu, 23, developed Novar, a free educational app that they say is designed to help pupils and teachers access study materials where physical resources are scarce. According to TimesLIVE, the pair created the app after remembering their school days, when five learners sometimes had to share a single mathematics textbook and teachers struggled to give individual attention in overcrowded classes.
Mathonsi and Shibambu told TimesLIVE that their own experiences — long journeys for extra classes, the costs of transport and the impossibility of individual support in large classes — motivated them to build a platform that could be used without heavy expense.
“Our experience of education was one of both determination and limitation,” the pair said, according to TimesLIVE.
Who the app targets and how it helps
Novar is aimed principally at pupils and teachers in rural communities where educational resources and internet access can be limited. The developers emphasise that the app is free, intending to reduce dependence on costly private tuition and long commutes for extra lessons.
- Pupils: access curriculum-aligned material to practise core subjects such as mathematics and sciences.
- Teachers: use the app to supplement classroom lessons and provide extra exercises to learners.
- Parents and guardians: find structured content that can help learners revise at home without high-cost tutors.
Background: the local education context
Mathonsi and Shibambu’s efforts reflect broader challenges in many parts of Limpopo. Overcrowded classrooms, insufficient teaching resources and long distances to additional tuition are common obstacles for rural learners. The pair’s example underscores how community-rooted innovations can address those problems at low cost.
Their own stories include personal sacrifice and disrupted study paths. Mathonsi studied for an IT diploma at Vaal University of Technology but could not continue when fees became unaffordable. Shibambu aspired to study medicine at the University of Cape Town and relied on extra lessons and long trips for academic support — experiences they say helped shape Novar’s practical purpose.
Practical information for schools and families
Details about how to download or use Novar were not provided in the source material. Educators and parents interested in similar tools should consider the following steps while waiting for platform details:
- Contact your school principal or district education office to learn about approved digital resources.
- Ask whether devices are available at the school or through community centres for learners without smartphones.
- Explore offline-capable apps or resources that can be preloaded where internet connectivity is limited.
Potential and limitations
Free digital tools can expand access but are not a substitute for well-resourced classrooms and trained teachers. Successful adoption depends on device availability, teacher training, ongoing content updates and alignment with the national curriculum. The creators’ local knowledge and direct experience of community needs are advantages when designing content that suits rural learners.
| Area | Challenge | How Novar aims to help |
|---|---|---|
| Access to textbooks | Multiple learners sharing one book | Provides digital practice materials for individual revision |
| Cost of extra lessons | Long travel and transport costs | Offers free supplementary content to reduce dependence on paid tuition |
| Overcrowded classrooms | Limited individual attention | Enables self-paced practice outside class time |
Mathonsi and Shibambu’s project is part of a growing wave of community-led solutions in South Africa that adapt technology to local conditions. Their work highlights both the promise of grassroots innovation and the practical barriers that must be addressed for digital learning to reach its full potential in rural Limpopo.
For now, Novar is a locally-driven response created by two young men who experienced the system’s gaps first-hand and sought to build an accessible alternative. Provincial education stakeholders and school communities in and around Malamulele may find it useful to engage with the developers to test and scale the app where it can make the most difference.
