Africa’s overworked teachers inspired him to build a tool aimed at cutting time spent on grading and administrative tasks. Through technology, he hopes to ease pressure on educators while improving how students learn.

Kabelo Mahlobogwane is a South African entrepreneur and educator. He is the founder and chief executive of The Marking App Africa, an education technology company that develops digital tools aimed at reducing administrative workloads for teachers and improving learning outcomes for students.

Founded in 2020, The Marking App Africa has gained attention for its technology that automatically grades handwritten assignments. Using a smartphone or scanner, teachers can digitize students’ work and receive instant grading alongside detailed feedback and learning recommendations. The system is designed to save teachers time and allow them to focus more on classroom instruction.

The company has also positioned itself as a broader educational platform. Its digital library provides African students with free access to more than 2,000 learning resources, including interactive games, quizzes, practice tests and online workbooks. These tools help learners track their progress over time and prepare more effectively for exams.

For schools, the platform also includes a digital attendance system and built-in communication tools. Through an internal messaging feature, teachers, students and parents can communicate in real time. An artificial intelligence-powered chatbot further supports the platform by acting as a virtual tutor for students.

Mahlobogwane earned a bachelor’s degree in African languages and linguistics from the University of Pretoria in 2016. Between 2022 and 2023, he worked as a language specialist for the municipality of Taichung in Taiwan. He later completed a master’s degree in political economy at National Tsing Hua University in 2025.

Melchior Koba