Siyavula vs TESSA OER

Siyavula is a web-based learning platform for Mathematics and Physical Sciences practice, educator tools, and free textbooks. Learners can work through unlimited question versions, receive instant marking and full solutions, and follow their progress on a personal dashboard. Questions become harder as learners master concepts. Practice covers Mathematics in Grades 8–12 and Physical Sciences in Grades 10–12, aligned with South Africa’s CAPS curriculum, and works on any internet-enabled device. Educators can search questions by subject, grade, topic, and difficulty, then assign automatically marked homework and assessments. Reports let teachers review activity and progress at individual, class, and school levels. Textbooks for several subjects across Grades 4–12 are free to read and download; users may copy, share, or modify them. Siyavula says the site is zero-rated on MTN and Cell C networks in South Africa. Learner access and verified-teacher access are free. Essentials costs $2,050 a year per teacher and subject, excluding VAT; Advanced costs $6,199 a year per teacher and subject, excluding VAT.

TESSA OER is a free education research and development project founded in 2005 that works with partners to support primary and secondary teachers across sub-Saharan Africa. Its open educational resources are linked to national curricula and offered in multiple language and country versions. The collection contains 90 subject-based modules: 75 structured primary units and 15 secondary units. Modules provide practical activities, case examples, classroom materials, and guidance on teaching strategies for engaging learners. Handbooks and toolkits support teachers and teacher educators, while the materials cover professional learning from initial teacher education through continuing development. A shared space lets teachers and teacher educators exchange adaptations. Published under an open Creative Commons licence, the resources are free to use, adapt, and share. Materials are available online and offline in digital and printed formats. Teachers may use them independently or integrate them into pre-service and in-service training programmes.