Did you know Ubongo Kids is more than a cartoon? We recently launched an educational and fun SMS game to reach even more youth across East Africa. Ubongo Mobile allows children to test their Math and Science knowledge by answering quiz questions on even the most basic mobile phones.
Here is how it works:
Primary school-aged children select a topic such as Multiplication, Fractions, Malaria, or Body Systems which are topics from Ubongo Kids episodes or the national curriculum. They receive one question at a time via SMS, and after they answer several questions correctly they are rewarded with an original song or encouraging message from one of their favourite characters, such as Mama Ndege, a bright green bird who loves math. If they answer a question incorrectly, they are given an explanation of how to get the correct answer, then given another chance later to try again. Many of the questions are word problems and help with problem-solving skills but are made interesting by including characters or scenarios from the cartoon.
In its first few months of use, Ubongo Mobile has been extremely popular with children across Tanzania with kids in every region of the country playing: from Mwanza to Mbeya and even the small island of Mafia. With 80% of households in Tanzania having a mobile phone this is a great way for us to reach and teach youth, many of whom go to government schools with 100 pupils in a single classroom and who may not receive individual attention from their teachers.
Give it a try – let’s see how YOU do with a few sample questions! (answers at the bottom)
- Kibena’s family has a farm that is in the shape of a square with each side being 20 metres. What is the perimeter of the farm?
- Uncle T is the tallest mammal on Earth. What animal is he?
- Mama Ndege cut an orange into 4 equal pieces and ate 1 piece. What fraction of the orange is remaining?
As of today, over 40,000 unique phone users have tried Ubongo Mobile in Tanzania with this number expected only to rise. There are also plans to expand to other countries across Africa so more children can have access to this simple yet fun and educational tool!
(Quiz answers: 1. 80m 2. Giraffe 3. Three-quarters)
