Lesedi Mochadibane, a 23-year-old South African developer, has created a free online platform aimed at helping learners understand mathematics and prepare for their exams. Mochadibane launched freenotes.co.za after noticing that many learners struggled to prepare for maths exams because study materials were either expensive, difficult to understand or unengaging. His platform offers free, visually designed study notes that break down mathematical concepts using diagrams and step-by-step explanations.
The platform was designed with learners in mind, using simplified English and visual explanations instead of long blocks of text. Mochadibane said the idea was to make learning maths more accessible while giving students more time to practise solving problems. The notes are available free of charge, without subscription fees or paywalls. The platform initially focused on South African learners from Grade 7 through matric, which is the final year of high school.
Mochadibane's passion for mathematics was sparked by a high school teacher who changed the way he viewed the subject. He said his teacher taught him to love maths and focus on practice, which later influenced the way he approached his own education platform, with the aim of making maths more enjoyable and encouraging learners to practise.
Mochadibane started developing the platform around the end of 2023 and early 2024, initially focusing on students in South Africa. However, the platform soon began attracting learners from outside the country, with over 20,000 students reached. The platform eventually reached learners in more than 100 countries, with the United States ranking second, Australia third, and Kenya fourth among the countries where the platform had attracted students.
The growing audience encouraged Mochadibane to expand the platform beyond school-level mathematics. It now also includes university-level resources in areas such as Criminal Law, Family Law, and Constitutional Law. Mochadibane's work in education technology has also earned him recognition through several competitions and initiatives, including a R100,000 grant as a finalist at the Allan Gray Varsity Pitch for his Campus Connect project.
Mochadibane's journey shows how a local education idea can reach learners well beyond its original target audience. What began as an effort to help South African learners access better maths resources has grown into a platform used by students in more than 100 countries, including Kenya. Learners can access the free study materials through freenotes.co.za.
Key points
- Lesedi Mochadibane's free online maths platform, freenotes.co.za, has reached learners in over 100 countries, including Kenya.
- The platform offers free, visually designed study notes that break down mathematical concepts using diagrams and step-by-step explanations.
- Mochadibane's work in education technology has earned him recognition through several competitions and initiatives.
