Intent on improving arithmetic ability among children in Indonesia, mobile app developer Unikom Codelabs has taken an unconventional approach.  

In 2015, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released the results of its global rankings on student performance in science and literacy and mathematics. Of 72 countries, Indonesia was ranked 64th.

These results were what inspired mobile app developers Unikom Codelabs to create Tapto, an app aimed at improving math skills through mobile gameplay.

“Tapto is a game that can train your arithmetic skill with something called fun,” says developer Muhammad Fathurohman.

“Some kids are lazy learning at school, so that’s why with this game, we try to make children want to study in a fun way.”

He says that introducing maths through gaming channels can present learning in an alternate, more appealing way for children.

“91% of children play games, so there’s an interest… we can help [children’s] learning by doing it through games,” he says.

“We want to create a path for players to train their arithmetic ability in a fun and challenging way.”

In Tapto, players are given the task to guide a cat character around a track where they encounter obstacles to be overcome by answering simple math questions.

The app has already received national recognition, claiming runner upper in the 2016 IPB Game Development Competition and winning the 2017 GMASA Indie Pitch Festival.

Muhammad hopes this success will continue in the future.

“Early education is really important… so we hope Tapto can keep growing,” he says.

Published in Globe Asia March Issue 2017