Telecommunications services provider Telkom has launched e-Education, a value-added service to broadband and mobile customers providing access to free online education content using Telkom data.

The service, provided by Extramarks, covers English, Life Science, Physical Science, Natural Science and Maths from Grade R to matric, and is structured into multimedia-rich 'Learn', 'Practice' and 'Test' modules.

Telkom says the Extramarks' offering is aligned to the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS), the latest curriculum issued by South Africa's Department of Basic Education.

"The service offers live chat functionality for additional assistance. The learners also benefit from other services such as daily study schedule, group study, progress tracking and mentor-guided learning," reads a statement from Telkom.

"Today's generation of learners have a natural flair for technology devices such as tablets. It is time we transform their digital instincts into providing anytime-anywhere access to quality education. Our collaboration with Telkom will help us achieve this objective," said Tanay Kulshreshtha, Country Head of Extramarks South Africa.

The service is only available to Telkom subscribers with a 24-month contract, and qualifying customers will receive an SMS with a voucher number and a link to the Extramarks website. They will have to register on the Extramarks website in order to access education content, according to Telkom.