Solve Education

Solve Education Foundation!
Solve Education Foundation (SEF) is an international non-governmental organization and social enterprise, founded in Singapore in 2015 by Peng Tsin Ong and Janine Teo (Peihan),[1 ] with operations expanding to Indonesia in 2017 under Talitha Amalia.[2 ] SEF aims to empower individuals through innovative, AI-powered educational programs, focusing on practical 21st-century skills such as English, STEM, financial literacy, and business education. [3 ][4 ]  With a presence in countries including Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Nigeria, and nearly 1,000 global partners, SEF provides free educational opportunities to equip children and youth to succeed in a globalized world.

Founding and Establishment
Solve Education Foundation (SEF) is a technology-driven international registered non-governmental organization and social enterprise, focusing on creating a world where everyone reaches their potential with education. SEF was ideated in December 2015 after Peng Tsin Ong attended the Africa Innovation Summit in Cape Verde in 2014[5 ], where he led a plenary session on financing innovation.[6 ] At the end of the summit, he engaged stakeholders from Africa on the ideal educational intervention for narrowing the gap of education inequalities to help produce knowledge workers for a knowledge economy. It was after the summit that Solve Education! was born, to offer scalable educational interventions which can work with limited infrastructure in low-income countries in Asia and around the world.

SEF was formally founded in Singapore in 2015 by Peng Tsin Ong and Janine Teo (Peihan). In 2017, it expanded its operations to Indonesia with Talitha Amalia as the cofounder. The organization is registered as a non-governmental organization and a social enterprise, dedicated to empowering individuals through education.[7 ]

While Solve Education Foundation is a global brand dedicated to this cause, it operates under different entities in each country. SEF empowers individuals in Indonesia to master essential skills for success in the 21st century through innovative, AI-powered technology.[8 ]

SEF works in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, and other countries with almost 1,000 partners around the world, providing free educational programs to all. We focus on giving practical 21st-century skills programs from English, to STEM, to financial literacy and business.

Mision and Vision
The core mission of Solve Education Foundation is to enable people to empower themselves through education.[9 ] SEF envisions a world where everyone has the opportunity to master essential skills needed for success in the 21st century. The foundation aims to make education accessible and engaging, equipping children and youth with the skills to meet the challenges of a globalized world.[7 ]

Operations and Reach
SEF operates under different entities in each country while maintaining its global brand identity. The foundation works in several countries, including Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Nigeria. It collaborates with nearly 1,000 partners worldwide to provide free educational programs to all.

Educational Programs
Solve Education Foundation focuses on delivering practical 21st-century skills programs. These include:

In addition to its core programs, SEF has successfully implemented several notable initiatives:
 * English Language: Providing comprehensive programs to enhance English language proficiency.
 * STEM Education: Offering Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs to foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
 * Financial Literacy: Teaching essential financial skills to help individuals manage their finances effectively.
 * Business Education: Equipping learners with business knowledge and entrepreneurial skills.


 * Game for Charity: Introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, this point-based program allows students to earn points by completing learning modules, which they can exchange for food packages. SEF collaborated with organizations such as Nusantara Innovation Forum, Putera Sampoerna Foundation, and the East Java Government of Indonesia to gamify the pandemic-safety education package for underserved children in Indonesia.[10 ]
 * Youth Well-being Education: In partnership with Badan Kependudukan dan Keluarga Berencana Nasional (BKKBN), a government body under the Ministry of Health Indonesia, SEF launched a digital comic book addressing family planning issues in Indonesia. This initiative aims to educate and raise awareness about family planning among the youth.[11 ]

Technology-Driven Learning
SEF utilizes innovative, AI-powered technology to create engaging and effective educational experiences. The foundation's technology-driven approach ensures that learning is personalized and adaptive to the needs of each individual, making education more accessible and impactful.

Key technological initiatives include:


 * edbot.ai: An educational platform that uses artificial intelligence to offer personalized and gamified learning experiences launched in 2023. The platform focuses on essential 21st-century skills, adapting to the learning pace and style of each user to make education more engaging.[12 ]
 * Ed the Learning Bot: An AI-based chatbot available on Telegram,[13 ] Ed helps underserved young people learn various subjects through gamified pictures and text, with a primary focus on English launched in 2021. The bot has been deployed in Nigeria and has been reviewed by the Ministry of Education, Nigeria, recognizing its role in improving youth literacy.[14 ] SEF partners with various organizations to gamify learning modules and expand educational access using this chatbot.
 * Dawn of Civilization (DoC): Launched in 2017, this city-building game incorporates various subjects and mini-games,[15 ][16 ] designed to run on low-end mobile devices.[17 ][18 ]SEF uses gamification and AI to maximize the reach of mobile phones and broadband, ensuring education is accessible to children and youth in low-income countries.[19 ] [20 ]

Recognition

 * Anthem Awards 2023 - Bronze Winner for Product, Innovation, or Service Category (Non-Profit)[21 ]
 * AVPN STEM Fund Grant Awardee 2023[22 ]
 * Credit Suisse Grant Awardee 2022-2024
 * Lenovo Foundation Grant Awardee 2021-2023[23 ]
 * Smile Together Partnership Grant Awardee 2021-2023[24 ]
 * Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy Indonesia 2020 - Top 10 National Educational Game
 * Ashoka x Google.org ChangeMakers 2020
 * Next Billion EdTech Prize 2019 Finalist[25 ]
 * QS Reimagine Education, Best Educational App 2020 Finalist[26 ]
 * Cisco Global Problem Solver 2020 Semi-finalist
 * 2019 Innovate for Good Challenge Semi-finalists[27 ]
 * World Summit Awards 2018[28 ]
 * Singtel Future Makers 2017[29 ]
 * MIT SOLVE: Youth Skills and the Workforce of the future 2017