In the North and South Kivu provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),  2,594 schools have closed due to the escalating conflict with the M3 rebels. Over a million students are now home as a result, according to minutes from a February 28, 2025, Council of Ministers meeting. No information was given regarding university and tertiary institutions in the area mentioned.

In response, the Congolese government adopted on February 6 distance learning in public and private universities, bearing good news for Schoolap, an e-learning platform founded by Pascal Kanik.

Kanik, a former Vodacom employee, left his job in 2017 to co-found Schoolap with Guy-José Leta. 

Schoolap connects teachers, parents, and students to certified educational content, ensuring quality learning. The tool currently boasts around a million students nationwide.

Kanik had the idea while installing a telecommunications network in the provinces. Aware of the shortcomings of the local education system, he recognized the need for a modern tool that would compensate for them. 

In 2019, the startup raised US$500,000 in funding from Eutelsat, the largest fundraising round in Central Africa.  to accelerate its growth. The same year, Schoolap won the Seedstars competition for the best online education platform.

A Helper Named COVID-19

After COVID-19 broke out, Schoolap expanded rapidly, spurred by school closures. It now boasts over 20,300 educational content items, 6,000 partner schools, 1.9 million registered students, and 105,000 participating teachers across six provinces.

After becoming an Edtech reference in the DRC, Schoolap expanded into Kenya, thus entering English-speaking Africa. The platform offers a comprehensive solution that combines digital curriculum management with interactive tools, meeting the growing needs of educational institutions.

This article was initially published in French by Ronsard Luabeya (intern)

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho