EdTech Is On A Rise

The preventive measures to contain Covid-19 have changed the landscape of the education and while the outbreak creates opportunities for EdTech startups, venture capital suggests that the auspicious online platforms must encompass entertainment and education.

Jantanarak Tuekaew, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Storm Breaker Venture said that education institutes from elementary schools to universities, both of public and private, are enthusiastic and interested in online learning pressured and accelerated by Covid-19 outbreak. Edtech startups thus is now on a rise and received a tremendously positive response from Investors. Even though there were supports from the public and private sectors in developing online learning platforms, the services initially are free of charge and EdTech startups had to invest themselves such as investment on cloud computing, IT manpower, equipment and software programs. It takes for a period before receiving the funds. Startups should be careful for cash management both of their own money and from the fundraising otherwise they might face a cashflow problem.

“The trend of online learning is now and new investors are more interested in EdTech startups. Education is a foundation of society, if the innovation is truly good and helpful, the more number users, the less risk of investment because there are a certain number of users, unlike other industries which high competition,” said Jantanarak.

She suggested that to create a promising online learning platform must essentially encompass entertainment with education, comparable with watching Netflix, but here is the Netflix in education that attract learners to be with lessons, playing game, cartoon, science experiment at home. The content must be simple to understand and focus the certain target groups, while instructors have the art of teaching.

Engagement of learners is very important. Unlike classroom learning, children learn at home are more simply distracted, parents thus are very important to partake framing kids’ mindset and behavior and more participating in learning of the children.

A gap between large provincial schools and small remote schools lays a problem of inequality, especially the network infrastructure such as internet, wifi, computer which are the basic tools for online learning. The Equitable Education Fund in collaboration with Education Ministry plan to allocate the distance learning television station (DLTS) to support those disadvantaged children and bring together schools and parents creating the online learning participation. Objective of a successful online learning is the use of digital technology solving the inequitable education.