Nkosinathi Temba, co-founder and CEO of Thito.io.
South African education start-up Thuto.io is expanding its footprint, offering a platform that combines AI-driven learning, real-time progress tracking, and a digital allowance system to address gaps in student motivation and academic accountability.
The platform was developed by Nkosinathi Temba, co-founder and CEO, who began working on the system in 2022 with pilots running through 2025.
“Thuto was built to make learning feel personal, supportive, and human again — rewarding effort, building financial literacy, and giving students real-time feedback that strengthens their belief in themselves,” says Temba in an e-mail interview with ITWeb.
Thuto.io targets learners in grades 8-12, providing tools for daily academic engagement, performance-based rewards, and parent-teacher-student synchronisation.
Students complete micro-assessments called Thuto Stories, self-report test scores, and receive feedback via Thutor AI, which identifies learning gaps and guides students through tailored exercises, Temba explains.
He notes that students earn Thuto Coins, a digital token pegged to the rand, which can be used for airtime, vouchers, savings, or other transactions, introducing financial literacy alongside learning.
According to Temba, the platform operates on a subscription model, with parents paying R50 per student per month.
Schools, teachers, and parents can monitor performance and manage allowances through the platform, while matriculants benefit from a dedicated study companion product, he adds.
Thuto.io has partnered with Nedbank, which handles transactions for Thuto Coins, and Melon Mobile, providing affordable data bundles for students.
Temba points out that the company aims to reach 500 000 learners by the end of 2026, scaling through school, district, and corporate partnerships.
He adds that negotiations with one of South Africa’s major banks are underway to expand the platform’s financial capabilities.
Temba cites systemic gaps in South African education as a primary motivation for the platform, including poor communication between schools and parents, limited data on student progress, and declining student motivation.
“South Africa’s education challenges won’t be solved by curriculum changes alone. We need systems that build discipline, motivation, honesty, and continuous learning – and that’s exactly what Thuto was built for,” he says.
The platform has drawn attention at international summits for addressing both educational and financial literacy needs simultaneously.
Thuto.io’s team plans to continue expanding its reach, integrating behavioural science with technology to create measurable and scalable learning outcomes.
