Making education more accessible in his native country Cameroon has motivated Kinlo Ephriam Tangiri to develop a free e-learning service, the KET Academy. With this project, the student of Constructor University in Bremen made it into the top 50 of the international student competition "Chegg.org".
Kinlo grew up in northwestern Cameroon, a region ravaged by civil war and lacking basic necessities such as clean water, a secure power supply, access to health care and education. As a result of his personal experience, he developed an exercise book with mathematical exercises for students while still at school. This initiative later developed into the KET Academy. "I firmly believe that education is the key to a better future. I want to provide kids with a similar background as mine with the tools they need to succeed," said Kinlo, describing his motivation.
KET Academy offers guidance and support for topics such as mathematics, biology, physics and social studies on platforms such as YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram. Kinlo taught himself the technical skills needed to set up the service. In the meantime, the team has grown to more than 30 members. Since 2022, Kinlo has been studying Computer Science at Constructor University, but continues to look after KET Academy.
3,851 applicants from 122 countries took part in the competition, which is run by the U.S. educational technology company Chegg Inc. together with the Varkey Foundation. In the future, Kinlo aims to further develop KET Academy and build a digital resource center that trains young ambassadors on how to support their peers through digital mentoring. In addition, he would like to help reduce the high number of school dropouts, especially in the northwest of his country.
About Constructor University:
Founded in 2001, Constructor University is a top-ranked, English-language, private university, with a campus in Bremen, Germany. With its interdisciplinary approach, advanced digital learning tools and accredited programs, it equips students with fundamental knowledge, critical thinking and practical skills to build their professional career and address the world’s most pressing challenges.
The University emphasizes a synergetic and entrepreneurial spirit, offering program mentoring from top-tier professors and industry experts. Partner collaborations include the Constructor Institute in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, Carnegie Mellon, the National University of Singapore, the University of Geneva, and industry references such as Anisoprint, JetBrains and ChemDiv.
Internationality and diversity lie at the heart of Constructor University, with more than 110 nations at its vibrant and close-knit campus community in Bremen. There, students enjoy active campus life, with access to clubs, professional networks and academic counselling, essential to their personal and academic growth.
Research-centric faculty projects at the University are funded by the German Research Foundation, the European Union's Framework Program for Research and Innovation, and globally leading companies.
The greater Constructor Knowledge ecosystem includes Constructor University in Bremen, Germany, and Constructor Institute in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. It is a provider of education services with education tools, worldwide traditional and online educational services, as well as advisory and strategic services to education customers in the fields of student recruitment, communications, and marketing support.