  In response to COVID-19, a new project was started to allow students to solve
computerised math drills outside of school. In 9 months it has gone from zero
to one thousand students, in co-operation with ten community libraries in
various slums and low-income regions in Kenya. The program uses the tutor-web
as a study environment and access is provided by donating tablet computers to
participating community libraries. Students are rewarded using the SmileyCoin
cryptocurrency as they progress through the system and the libraries are free
to sell for SMLY small food items, sanitary pads and the tablets themselves.
The reward system is designed to put an emphasis on secondary school
mathematics. Completion of the corresponding collection of drills gives
SmileyCoin awards sufficient to purchase a tablet. Conclusions based on the
first year indicate that the resulting effect on participation and performance
is unprecedented: Eleven libraries with 1301 students opted for voluntary
participation in 2021 causing the program to run at full financial capacity. In
that year, 450 students earned enough SMLY to purchase the tablets, which
involves completing a large collection of drills to a level of excellence.
Status exam questions are dispersed within the drill collection. These
independent measurements show learning which surpasses both rote learning and
mechanical learning and demonstrate an increase in the general ability to
address new mathematical problems not seen before.
