Self-Directed Learning Platforms
These are online platforms a learner uses at their own pace, or in small live classes, to strengthen a subject. Siyavula and Mindset Learn are free and follow CAPS [MS]. Khan Academy is free and follows no South African curriculum [TBV]. Outschool, Art of Problem Solving, Math Academy, edX and Coursera charge in US dollars for some or all of what they offer [MS]. None is a school or an examination body [TBV], so a family still needs a registered school or an accredited provider for the NSC.
Summary assessment
| Variable | Assessment |
|---|---|
| 1. Language | English throughout; Siyavula’s open textbooks also exist in Afrikaans [MS]. |
| 2. Logistics | The learner stays in the valley; live classes from US teachers run at US-friendly hours [TBV]. |
| 3. School type | Online platforms and a class marketplace, not schools; registration status not checked [TBV]. |
| 4. Curriculum | Siyavula and Mindset Learn follow CAPS [MS]; the others follow no CAPS mapping in the pages checked [TBV]. No examination body. |
| 5. Cost | R0 for Siyavula, Mindset Learn and Khan Academy; paid options run from about R349 a class hour to about R8,300 a course or subscription year [MS]. |
| 6. Pedagogy | Self-paced practice and video, plus live small-group classes on some platforms. |
| 7. Subjects | Strongest in Mathematics and the sciences; no practical subjects [TBV]. |
| 8. Post-school | None issues the NSC [TBV]; edX and Coursera issue course certificates only [MS]. |
| 9. Social | No local peer group; live classes give contact with learners elsewhere [MS]. |
| 10. Silverwood | Not applicable. |
Variable-by-variable assessment
1. Language of instruction
The platforms teach in English. Siyavula’s open textbooks are also available in Afrikaans [MS]. That suits a learner at Emil Weder Secondary (Afrikaans-medium) who wants a second explanation of a Mathematics or Science topic. Whether the Siyavula Practice questions are available in Afrikaans is unconfirmed [TBV]. Khan Academy lists partial sites in isiXhosa and isiZulu [MS]. Afrikaans did not appear in the part of its language list that was checked [TBV].
2. Daily logistics
Everything happens wherever the learner has a device and a connection. There is no commute. Siyavula’s Android app listing says the app is free and zero-rated in South Africa [MS]. Older sources list Mindset Learn as zero-rated on Vodacom and MTN [TBV]. Khan Academy, Outschool, Art of Problem Solving, edX and Coursera use ordinary data [TBV]. The Online / Distance Schooling profile estimates internet at R6,000 to R18,000 a year, with no year given [TBV].
Live classes depend on the teacher’s time zone. Art of Problem Solving lists its live classes at 7:30 PM Eastern time, which is after midnight in the valley [MS]. Some of its courses also run self-paced [MS]. Outschool teachers choose their own class times [MS]. Whether enough classes fall in valley afternoons is unconfirmed [TBV].
3. School type and registration
These are online platforms and a class marketplace. Outschool’s teachers work as independent contractors [MS]. Registration of any platform with WCED or an examination body was not checked [TBV]. The child’s schooling status stays with the registered school or accredited provider the family chooses [TBV]. For a dispute with a platform, a family would rely on its terms and refund rules [TBV].
4. Curriculum and examination body
Siyavula Practice is CAPS-aligned [MS]. Mindset says its content is aligned with CAPS and pairs video with notes [MS]. Khan Academy, Outschool, Art of Problem Solving, edX and Coursera show no CAPS mapping in the pages checked [TBV]. No platform here is an examination body [TBV].
edX and Coursera issue certificates for single courses [MS]. These are separate from the NSC. Coursera requires users to be 13 or older and asks for parental supervision under 18 [MS]. edX is reported to require 13 or older [TBV].
5. Cost
Prices were checked on 3 October 2026. Dollar amounts use US$1 = R16.63, the mid-market rate that day [IC].
| Platform | Price | In rand | Year and source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siyavula Practice (learner) | Free | R0 | 2026, Siyavula pricing page [MS] |
| Mindset Learn | Free | R0 | 2026, Mindset Network site [MS] |
| Khan Academy | Free | R0 | 2026, software directory listings [IC] |
| Outschool | Set by each teacher; recommended US21 per learner per class hour | R299 to R349 per class hour | 2026, Outschool teacher FAQ [MS] |
| Art of Problem Solving | US495 per course | R7,733 to R8,232 | 2026-27 schedule, Art of Problem Solving [MS] |
| Math Academy | US500 a year | R815 a month; R8,315 a year | 2025 reports, official page not opened [TBV] |
| edX verified certificate (optional) | US300 per course; auditing is free | R1,497 to R4,989 | 2026, edX help centre [MS] |
| Coursera | Not checked | Not checked | [TBV] |
Siyavula lists teacher plans from R2,050 per teacher and subject per year for 2027, and says access is free to verified teachers [MS]. A facilitator running a shared group would look at these for class tracking.
Estimated annual cost for a Greyton family:
| Component | Low estimate | High estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Platform subscriptions and courses | R0 | R16,547 |
| Live small-group classes | R0 | R12,564 |
| Data | R0 (existing connection) | R18,000 |
| Examination fees | R0 | R0 |
| Total | R0 | about R47,100 |
Five-year cost: R0 to about R235,600 [TBV].
The high estimate assumes one Art of Problem Solving course at US500, one Outschool class hour a week for 36 weeks at R349, and the top data estimate. It excludes a device (R5,000 to R15,000 once-off in the Online profile, no year given [TBV]). A family using only the free tools stays near the low estimate. Math Academy is reported to have a free tier for financial need [TBV]. Coursera financial aid is reported to be need-based [TBV].
6. Pedagogy and values
- Siyavula Practice: unlimited Mathematics questions for Grades 8 to 12 and Physical Sciences questions for Grades 10 to 12, with worked solutions and instant feedback [MS]. Its open textbooks run from Grade 4 to Grade 12 [MS].
- Mindset Learn: free video lessons with summary notes for Grades 10 to 12, covering Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences and Mathematical Literacy, with Geography and Accounting from Grade 11 [MS].
- Khan Academy: free self-paced videos and exercises in Mathematics, science and other subjects [MS].
- Outschool: live small-group classes for ages 3 to 18, paid per class, taught by independent teachers [MS].
- Art of Problem Solving: online Mathematics courses for Grades 5 to 12, live or self-paced [MS].
- Math Academy: adaptive Mathematics practice that starts with a placement test [TBV].
- edX and Coursera: university courses. edX audit access is free and Coursera offers audit access on some courses [MS].
No platform here connects its content to the valley’s ecology or heritage [TBV]. Place-based learning would come from local activity, as the Online profile notes.
Two models parents often ask about are not profiled here. Prenda serves kindergarten to Grade 8 and operates in the United States [IC]. Alpha School tuition starts at US$40,000 a year (about R665,200) in 2025 reports [IC], and the pages checked list no campus outside the United States [TBV].
7. Subject availability
Coverage is strongest in Mathematics and the sciences. Siyavula has open textbooks for Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Natural Sciences, Computer Applications Technology and Information Technology [MS]. Mindset Learn’s subjects are listed in section 6. Art of Problem Solving teaches Mathematics only [MS]. Outschool teachers can offer classes on almost any topic [MS]. Technology subjects, Agricultural Sciences and Hospitality Studies are not covered by any platform checked [TBV].
8. Post-school pathway
The pathway depends on the school or provider that enters the learner for the NSC. These platforms support the marks in subjects such as Mathematics and Physical Sciences. Whether practice on them lifts NSC marks has not been tested in the valley [TBV]. Course certificates from edX and Coursera record completion of one course [MS]. Whether any South African university or TVET college weighs them is unconfirmed [TBV].
9. Social and community considerations
The learner has no local peer group through these platforms. Outschool and Art of Problem Solving classes give small-group contact with learners elsewhere [MS]. A group of families could share a venue and a facilitator while each learner uses the free tools, as described in the Microschool / Learning Pod profile.
10. Silverwood-specific
Not applicable. None of the 18 questions on the Variable 10 page concerns these platforms.
Best fit
This option suits a family that has already chosen a school, a microschool or an accredited online provider, and wants extra practice in Mathematics or Science. It also suits a learner who wants a subject the school does not teach. The family needs a device, a connection and an adult who checks progress each week. Families with limited data can start with the zero-rated tools [TBV].
It does not suit a family looking for a complete route to the NSC, because no platform here provides one. It also does not suit a learner who needs scheduled lessons and an adult present during the day.
Key unknowns
- Whether Siyavula and Mindset Learn are zero-rated on each mobile network today. TBV Ask Siyavula, Mindset Network and the network operators. A data-poor family’s cost depends on it.
- Whether Siyavula Practice questions are available in Afrikaans. TBV Ask Siyavula. It decides whether Afrikaans-medium learners can use the practice tool.
- Whether Mindset Learn covers Grades 8 and 9. TBV Ask Mindset Network. Its listed subjects start at Grade 10.
- Whether Khan Academy offers Afrikaans and any CAPS mapping. TBV Ask Khan Academy support.
- Current Math Academy price and any reduced price for South African learners. TBV Check the official pricing page.
- Coursera prices for learners under 18 and which courses allow audit access. TBV Check the Coursera help centre.
- Whether enough Outschool and Art of Problem Solving classes run at times that suit the valley. TBV Check the schedules and ask each provider.
- Whether any South African university or TVET college accepts edX or Coursera certificates as evidence of study. TBV Ask the admissions offices.
- Whether valley families already use these platforms, and what happened. TBV First-hand reports with no names would help other parents.
Right of reply
None of the providers named on this page has reviewed this profile. Each is described only through its published materials.
Related
- Online / Distance Schooling
- Microschool / Learning Pod
- Variable 05: Cost
- Variable 07: Subject Availability
- Variable 09: Social and Community
Sources
- Siyavula: pricing; Android app listing; WCED e-portal listing
- Mindset: Learn Xtra lessons; Mindset Network; Vodacom programme page; SchoolNet teacher resources
- Khan Academy: languages; Capterra South Africa; GetApp South Africa
- Outschool: teacher FAQ; educator library
- Art of Problem Solving: class schedule; Prealgebra course page
- Math Academy: customer feedback post, 2025; price discussion, 2025
- edX: course costs
- Coursera: age restrictions
- Prenda: Education Next
- Alpha School: CBS News; Axios; campus and international check
- Exchange rate, 3 October 2026: Wise; XE
This page is part of the Valley of Grace High School Decision Tool.