Denis Opudo
Cognition online platform was founded by four individuals. It connects tutors with learners and facilitates payments. Waldo Boshoff, Wihan Horn, Kyle Dodds and Corneil Clasen are the founders of the platform. Dodds who is an engineering student operated the tutorial company for five years. All this he was doing by himself. Once he noticed that he would run short of time to operate the company after graduating, he decided to use technology. Dodds and his three friends used Cognition technology.
Like any other technology, Cognition makes the whole tutorial system swift and easy. The other tutorial companies allocate jobs to tutors. But Cognition makes it easier for tutors. The app informs the tutors of available lessons within a radius of 150 kilometers. This makes the work simpler for the tutor. The tutor enjoys the whole process from the beginning to the end.
Through the app, the tutors are the ones who decide on what to charge per lesson. This makes it a free market where the tutor can decide on the workload they want. The work is easier since the app filters the job according to age group. Time and experience of the tutor are also considered. Parents also can choose the tutor that meets their requirements. This makes it enjoyable and simplified to both the parties.
Payments are made monthly with 100% agreement made between the tutor and the parents. Cognition does not charge commission. The only fee charged is the booking fee paid by parents and learner after the lesson. The fee goes to the platform. A refund can be negotiated in case the lesson was not satisfactory. Tutors can are rated by parents and learners according to their performance. The ratings are displayed on the tutor’s profile. Complains can also be filed against both parties in case of any.
The process of putting up a company in South Africa is so demanding. Therefore, it does not favor a common man according to Dodds. The lucky ones are from backgrounds like IT, engineering, business, and finance. The difficult process has made the country to have few entrepreneurs. The Cognition services are currently available countrywide. Its biggest provinces are Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Stellenbosch. But the founders are hoping to expand it to the rest of Africa, Europe, and Australia. This will only work out in case there is the good partnership.
