TikTok announces #EduTok programme to empower first-time internet users, hone soft skills

Short form video platform TikTok announced the launch of the #EduTok programme on Thursday. TikTok said the EduTok programme is a multi-phased integrated initiative with an objective of 'democratizing learning for the Indian digital community'.

TikTok said to date, over 10 million pieces of content were created and shared using the #EduTok hashtag, which have garnered over 48 billion views and have been shared 1.8 billion times on the platform.

TikTok said it is taking learning online to offline with the #EduTok Mentorship programme and that through this initiative, the company is collaborating with social enterprises like Josh Talks and The/Nudge Foundation to launch a mentorship programme. The company said the programme is aimed at supporting first-time internet users to gain knowledge by giving them access to educational content created by TikTok creators and educational organizations.


As part of this mentorship programme, Josh Talks will organise 25 #EduTok workshops where 5,000 creative individuals will be shortlisted and invited to attend a hands-on learning workshop delivered by an existing and popular #EduTok creator. For the workshops, The/Nudge Foundation will also tailor-make content covering topics such as Soft Skills, Skill Development, Identity Building, Job Readiness and Career Planning. The workshops will be organized over six months starting from October 2019 until March 2020.

The workshops will be held across six states that include Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Jammu. Each workshop will accommodate up to 200 users and will be conducted in the states’ regional languages.

Nitin Saluja, director, public policy, TikTok India said The #EduTok programme is TikTok's effort in bringing innovation in the education industry by democratising learning.

TikTok said along with the mentorship programme, educational technology companies such as Toppr, Made Easy, and Gradeup have also come on board to deliver subject-focussed content for the platform.