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Transforming Grade 12 Exam Readiness with Book Buddy AI Tutor and Digital Resources

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Key Challenges

Exam Readiness

Provide grade 12 learners support to prepare for final exams effectively and independently.

Teacher and Parent Support

Support teachers and parents with tools that provide learners individualised assistance beyond the classroom.

Language and Inclusivity

Learners needed support to overcome language barriers and engage fully in their home languages.

Scalability

The Department required a solution that could scale to all 487 schools and ~60,000 learners.

“It gives clarity to questions and helps learners understand fundamental concepts.”
ICT CoordinatorSitintile Secondary School
“Book Buddy has improved reading comprehension and engagement.”
School PresidentHazyview Comprehensive School
“Learners used Book Buddy on a daily basis to study and practice using past exam papers.”
PrincipalSitintile Secondary School
“Learners were able to understand topics and relate to them more.”
RCL Deputy PresidentHazyview Comprehensive School

Improvements and Successes

  • Widespread Reach
  • Book Buddy and curriculum-aligned digital resources were made available to 60,000 learners across 487 schools.
  • High Engagement
  • 35,000+ unique sessions and 6,000+ unique learners actively using the tool.
  • Deep Usage
  • Top 300 learners averaged over 34 sessions each, showing strong individual adoption.
  • School-Wide Impact
  • 424 schools recorded usage, with the top 10 schools seeing 80+ learners engaged.

“Book Buddy was more useful than Google or ChatGPT for exam preparation.” 

– Learner feedback

Implementation

Provincial Rollout

In May 2025, every Grade 12 learner received a tablet preloaded with Book Buddy and 110 digital resources.

Curriculum Integration

Learners used Book Buddy alongside past exam papers and supplementary resources.

Seamless Access

Book Buddy was easy to launch, ensuring learners could begin using it immediately.

Onsite Engagement

Visits highlighted positive learner and teacher interaction with Book Buddy, confirming its role in supporting study both in the classroom and at home.

The decision to choose Snapplify

The Department of Education partnered with Snapplify because of its proven track record in delivering scalable digital learning solutions and its ability to:

  • Provide access to a wide catalogue of publisher content
  • Enable AI-powered tutoring through Book Buddy
  • Ensure seamless rollout at scale across thousands of learners and hundreds of schools

This partnership positioned Mpumalanga as a leader in digital education innovation in South Africa.

About the Mpumalanga Department of Education

The Mpumalanga Department of Education is responsible for providing quality education to learners across the province. By embracing innovation and digital solutions, the Department continues to empower learners and educators, preparing them for academic success and lifelong learning.