Maski, a South African-built WhatsApp-based AI tutor for students in grades 1 to 12, has surpassed the 100 000-user mark just six months after the platform launched in March.
It was built by Bytefuse in collaboration with textbook publisher Maskew Miller Longman. The two companies believe Maski’s AI foundations make it appropriate for individualised learning paths, while the use of WhatsApp as a platform makes it accessible to pupils even in the most far-flung areas.
“Seeing thousands of learners on Maski at midnight before a maths exam asking for help changed everything,” said Bytefuse CEO Greg Newman in a statement on Thursday. “We started developing an experience for learners, not just to provide answers or homework help, but to understand what each learner needs, just like a good tutor would.”
Maski makes use of multimodal input to deliver tailored tutoring to learners in grades 7 to 12 for mathematics and “general theory”. Pupils can type in their questions, take pictures of what they want to ask and even send voice notes. Maski responds via text in English.
TechCentral tested these capabilities by first writing a few simultaneous equations on a piece of paper. Maski was able to recognise the text, that it represented two equations, and it asked whether points of intersection, a completely worked solution or the checking of a solution was desired.
After texting the system that a complete solution was needed, Maski proceeded to provide the correct answer with intermediate steps explained.
Testing the platform
To test Maski’s voice functionality, TechCentral sent the AI tutor a voice note that said: “Help me find the solutions to the equations x + y = 7 and x – y = 3”. As with the visual input, Maski responded with the correct response to the simultaneous equation with intermediate steps explained.
In some instances, especially when using the visual input, Maski would respond by saying it does not understand what is being asked, but after a few seconds the correct response would be furnished.
Maths was the first subject to be supported by Maski. Others including life sciences, physical science, geography, business studies and maths literacy have been added, with more in the pipeline.
Read: Big boost for science, maths education in schools
The Maski app also has a teacher support element. In fact, the application started out as an assessment generator meant to give teachers more time by developing grade- and stage-appropriate assessment worksheets in seconds. All assessments are aligned with the national Caps curriculum for South Africa’s schools.
Maski is funded by JSE-listed Novus Holdings, which gave the project a R55-million capital injection at its inception. Having captured its first 100 000 learners, its backers now aim to enrol more of the 13 million school pupils across South Africa.
The number of successful ed-tech applications in South Africa continues to grow, with each new entrant highlighting unique approaches to problems facing the education sector across the country. A lack of capacity and reach are two of the largest problems.
In December 2024, TechCentral interviewed Kagisho Masae and Lesego Finger, the CEO and chief technology officer, respectively, of Matric Live. Matric Live is a study tool helping students in grades 10-12 supplement their in-class learning with additional study materials and exam practice. Matric Live won top honours at the FNB App of the Year Awards in 2024.
Earlier this month, TechCentral interviewed another ed-tech start-up, The Invigilator. Born out of lockdown restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic, The Invigilator aims to solve the problem of how to successfully proctor tests and exams when students use online tools. Following a successful R195-million funding round, The Invigilator now has its sights set on international markets including the US, UK and Australia.
For the much younger Maski, the next milestone is enrolling more of the 13 million school-aged children across South Africa.
Read: How SA educators are fighting the AI cheating scourge
“We have been delighted to see the rapid adoption of Maski. It is solving real challenges in real environments. The combination of local curriculum expertise, engineering excellence and a mobile-first approach is unique. With continued iteration and personalisation, Maski has the potential to reshape the future of education for millions,” said Frans Meyer, CEO of Bytefuse investor Alphawave. –© 2025 NewsCentral Media
Get breaking news from TechCentral on WhatsApp. Sign up here.
