MoU Signed with Addis Ababa University for Collaboration on Digital Learning in Ethiopia

Expanding Practical Educational Infrastructure through Mobile Technology to Support Teacher and Learner Development in Public Education

Castalia Co., Ltd. (CEO: Satoshi Yamawaki, Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter “Castalia”) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Center for Educational Research and Testing Center, Addis Ababa University (Director: Dr. Berhanu Abera, Located in Addis Ababa; hereinafter “CER/TC”) to promote research and educational initiatives in the field of digital learning in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (hereinafter “Ethiopia”).

Through this partnership, Castalia aims to support the improvement of public education quality by providing mobile device-based training for teachers, and to expand and sustain learning opportunities for students by offering solutions that enable continued learning even in environments where attending school is difficult.

Dr. Berhanu, Director of the Center at Addis Ababa University (left), and Mr. Yamawaki, CEO of Castalia (right)

■ Overview of the Partnership

Castalia has developed and provides “Goocus Edge,” a learning management system (LMS) designed to operate in an edge computing environment and support large-scale digital learning in schools. Goocus Edge enables stable learning experiences even in regions with limited or unstable internet infrastructure, contributing to the reduction of educational disparities in rural and remote areas of Ethiopia.

Through this partnership, Goocus Edge will be introduced at the Center for Educational Research and Testing Center, Addis Ababa University (CER/TC) as part of a digital education initiative. CER/TC will serve as the implementation site, providing necessary facilities, network infrastructure, and local human resources to support the project.

As a concrete first step, a boot camp is scheduled to launch in fall 2025, targeting elementary school students and covering both mathematics and programming. This initiative aims to establish a sustainable digital education model in collaboration with local educational institutions, by facilitating foundational skill development as well as joint curriculum and teaching method design with local educators.

System Image of Goocus Edge

■ Background of Castalia’s Expansion into Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, the impact of internal conflict has led to significant reductions in the national education budget, resulting in a serious decline in the quality and functionality of public education. Issues such as poverty, regional disparities, and shortages of educational resources have become increasingly evident. At the same time, the growing youth population is facing limited access to education, which in turn contributes to employment difficulties and rising social instability.

In response to these challenges, the Ethiopian government has been promoting the digitalization of education using ICT. However, large gaps between urban and rural areas remain, and there is an urgent need to establish sustainable educational models that can be deployed nationwide.

Castalia has a proven track record in implementing mobile learning and programming education across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Based on this experience, the company was selected for the JICA "SDGs Business Supporting Survey." Through this initiative, Castalia aims to supplement public education and address educational disparities by delivering high-quality learning content via both the cloud-based “Goocus” platform and the offline-capable “Goocus Edge.”


Related Links:


■ About Addis Ababa University

Addis Ababa University (AAU), located in Ethiopia's capital, is the country’s largest and oldest national university. Among its many institutes, the Center for Educational Research and the Testing Center serve as core institutions for educational policy research and academic assessment. These centers play a key role in reforming Ethiopia’s education system and training future educators.

■ About Castalia Co., Ltd.

Castalia Co., Ltd. operates with the mission of “solving social issues through education and IT.” It develops and provides the mobile learning platform “Goocus,” together with its original programming education materials. Its operations span beyond Japan to the Middle East and Africa, contributing to sustainable development through expanded educational opportunities and ICT human resource development.