Springbok Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu backs South African learners with Maski AI tutor

Springbok star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu has joined forces with Maski to support South African learners, promoting a free, mobile-first AI tutor designed to help children with schoolwork, homework and exam preparation.

Developed by Maskew Miller Learning, Maski is available through WhatsApp and is aimed at learners in Grades 4 to 12. It is aligned with the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), meaning its support is designed to match what learners are studying at school.

“In rugby, you have a coach. In learning, you have Maski.”

That is the central message from Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who is a Brand Ambassador for Maski. The rugby player says the link between the sporting and educational worlds is built around consistent practice and access to support.

“I train every single day and learners should train their brains every single day,” he says.

Learners can use Maski on a device they already have, without downloading a new application or needing additional equipment. The service is accessed on WhatsApp by adding 072 091 0388 and sending “Hi” to begin for free.

Maski can be used by learners who are unsure about a topic covered in class, need assistance with homework or are trying to understand a difficult idea before a test or examination. It is intended to help users ask questions, practise their knowledge, receive feedback and work through concepts they find challenging.

The service is designed to offer more than the answers provided by a general AI chatbot. Maskew Miller Learning developed Maski alongside its AI and education specialists, working with Bytefuse and drawing on input from more than 100 teachers and subject specialists.

That input is intended to give parents confidence that the guidance provided through Maski is relevant to the curriculum their children are following.

More than 208,000 learners and teachers have benefited from Maski since it launched in 2024.

For Feinberg-Mngomezulu, the support offered by the platform reflects the way rugby players develop with the help of coaches, team-mates and support staff. Learners, he says, also need reliable assistance when they encounter difficulties.

Parents can also use the service to reduce the pressure of helping with subjects such as mathematics and science, particularly when they may no longer remember work they studied years ago. Instead of having to know every answer themselves, they can direct their children to a source of help that is available whenever it is needed.

The message to parents is simple. If a child says, “I can’t do this,” there is no need for the parent to solve the problem personally.

They can simply say, “Ask Maski.”

Maski is available on WhatsApp at 072 091 0388. Send “Hi” to get started for free.