Private tutoring is already a multibillion dollar industry and according to the estimates of Global Industry Analyst, it will reach 102.8 billion dollars by the year 2018 and double in the year 2020. In this picture, Pakistan will not have had any representation had it not been for the Uber of tutoring, also known as foriEDU.com. ForiEDU is an Ed-tech startup that is currently being accelerated at Pakistan’s largest technology accelerator, PlanX (a project of the Punjab IT Board). With high ambitions and quality product, this startup has already started to make a huge difference in the local tuition market.
The brains behind foriEDU are the trio Ammar Raheel (CEO), Sajjad Ahmad (CTO) and Saif Ullah Baig (COO). Not wanting to be a part of the common crowd, Ammar brainstormed for six months to make something that would benefit people and make a difference. “With a premature idea, and bleak future expectations, I started working on the project that had come as a blessing in disguise.” Ammar, CEO.
ForiEDU provides online one on one sessions and in-person tutoring through an online portal. Besides that, for the first time in Pakistan, they have introduced live online Crash Courses managed through their e-learning platform. The e-learning platform allows the instructors to create sessions that are aided with the facilities of web-cam, file sharing, and white boarding that make the learning environment interactive. Through mobile learning the members can train and participate directly from mobile devices in a hassle-free way. This leads to an enhanced interaction, through engagement monitoring and intuitive backstage tools, thereby maximizing engagement. Rapid generation and deployment of content through the PowerPoint plug-in also helps instructors work more efficiently.
ForiEDU aspire to ensure customer satisfaction, they offer a two-day free trial (15 minutes for online one-to-one sessions) before finalizing the tuition. Once successful customers can choose any of the three payment options; physical, EasyPay and bank wire transfer. The team believes in ‘education for all’ and hence intends to enroll underprivileged students (10% of the students’ strength in every course), free of cost.
Their wide-range of tutors comes from the best universities in Pakistan, and by extension, the world. From elementary level to the masters, all grades, with a variety of subjects, are dealt with. Students can choose a tutor of their liking based on ratings and reviews, foriEDU.com test scores, educational background, subjects, location, availability and gender search.
ForiEDU have introduced, a novel initiative in the tutoring market of Pakistan, with live, one-to-many, learn and earn courses. Its distinction lies in the fact that students would be able to interact with their coach, virtually. The students from the most remote areas of Pakistan will now be able to get standardized technical and non-technical education from the best coaches of Pakistan. These courses include a complete web development course, ethical hacking, IELTS and GRE.
The founders of foriEDU may be male, but they strongly believe in empowering women to be self-sufficient in the matters of earning. They actively encourage women to participate by guaranteeing eligible female tutors a job which helps them financially. Be it single mothers, or underprivileged females, or just talented women that wouldn’t be allowed to use their skills to earn, foriEDU.com strives to get them good tutoring jobs to put their talents in use and to help themselves and their families. One of the female tutors shared that, “I have not only been able to pay my university fee but also I am able to self-sufficiently manage my daily expenses for quite some time and I’m continuing to do so.”
Thus far foriEDU.com has been successful in creating 500+ jobs in under a year and half. COO Saif Ullah, stated that, “we intend to increase that number to 5000+ jobs over the end of 2017.” With a growing number of 2500+ registered tutors. They operate across Lahore and intend to expand and extend their services to as many areas in Pakistan as possible. Many tutors (both male and female) are earning up to 450,000 (PKR) per annum and approximately 500+ students are getting quality education. The team are also helping students from LUMS National Outreach Program (NOP), which are from the interior areas of Punjab and Pakistan, by giving them tuitions in areas nearby to provide quality education and an opportunity to meet their daily expenses by earning.