EduNamText – a 123-txt Case Study

EduNamText is a Unified Communications solution provider based in Windhoek, Namibia, working closely with over 300 schools to provide them with the ability to deliver up-to-date and easily accessible information and announcements for students and parents.

What was the pain point?

Quick and reliable means of communication are a must for any school. Whether it be regular event information, homework reminders or emergency information as part of a crisis response plan, the ability to send out messages that you’re confident will be read promptly is vital for the safety and educational outcomes of students.

Whilst mobile phone usage in the country is one of the highest in the world, Namibian schools have been slow to adopt mobile communications for inbound and outbound communications. As such, more traditional communications methods such as flyers, letters, emails and meetings are all still being used in an effort to get important messages and information to students and parents. This constitutes a considerable logistical effort for many Namibian schools, one that is both costly, time intensive and not always successful in reaching its audience.

This is why EduNamText were looking for a communications channel that would be cost effective, easy to implement and, more crucially, a system where messages would be delivered quickly, securely and in a convenient format for both students and parents alike.

A fast and reliable communications solution – Bulk SMS with 123-txt

Due to the ubiquitous nature of mobile phones amongst students and parents, SMS messaging seemed like the perfect way to deliver messages right into their hands.

The problem with using a conventional mobile in this context is the inability to send messages to large groups of people simultaneously. This is where 123-txt comes in. The 123-txt platform can be integrated with contact management systems and then send out messages to large groups just as easily as to an individual, secure in the knowledge that contact details will always be up-to-date. This allows schools to send messages to both the parents and students of classes, year groups or the whole school effortlessly, saving administrative time and resource.

The ability to schedule event invitations and reminders has also helped to reduce workload whilst improving the attendance of important events such as parent teacher evenings.

Due to the centralised, cloud based nature of 123-txt, it is accessible on any device connected to the internet. Detailed, customisable admin rights and high levels of online security and encryption also make sure that the platform can only be accessed and used by appropriately authorised members of staff. This means it’s easily accessible for teachers and staff without compromising security.

“Texting parents about tests and homework has been shown to improve maths results and reduce absenteeism.”

Raj Chande

Principal Advisor, Behavioural Insights Team

The outcome

123-txt’s intuitive interface has meant the uptake and deployment of SMS has been quick and the benefits of utilising text messaging are already being demonstrated. The ability to send out scheduled and automated invites, updates and reminders in bulk has already saved a considerable amount of time for staff.

The 123-txt platform is also designed so that you only pay for the messages you send. This has made it an incredibly cost effective means of communication when compared with posted letters and flyers.

Delivery reports also provide staff with oversight of message statuses, giving them confidence that their messages have reached the intended targets – something that was far from guaranteed with the previous technologies.

More than this, however, has been the improved relationships forged through regular communications made possible by SMS. Strategic messaging with information around assignment and test dates has helped to improve parental engagement and text invites and reminders have consistently yielded improved turnout at events. The improved flow of information looks set to be a hugely positive force in school education, something made possible by the deployment of SMS technologies.