Computer-Aided Learning Management Suite (CALMS): An Offline-First, TV White Space-Enabled Architecture for Equitable Education in Rural Zimbabwe

Authors

Komborero Victor Kangai, Amity Institute of Higher Education (AIHE), Mauritius

Attlee Munyaradzi Gamundani, Namibia University of Science and Technology, Namibia

Published in

IST-Africa 2026 Conference Proceedings

ISSN: 2576-8581

ISBN: 978-1-905824-76-2

DOI: https://doi.org/10.67725/IST-Africa.2026.TTQV2083

Publisher

IST-Africa Institute and IIMC International Information Management Corporation Ltd

Published in Ireland

Abstract

The Computer-Aided Learning Management Suite (CALMS) offers a transformative solution to educational disparities in low-connectivity regions by seamlessly integrating an e-learning hub, results management analytics, and a Virtual AI Classroom Board into a standalone ecosystem. Built upon Television White Spaces (TVWS) technology, CALMS delivers broadband-grade connectivity whilst maintaining strict offline-first functionality. This ensures data-driven performance tracking and real-time hardware integration even in the absence of upstream internet access. The system is underpinned by a custom embedded edge inference runtime -comprising a deterministic stack of Python-based libraries, including face_recognition, OpenCV2, and MediaPipe - which orchestrates biometric verification and gesture recognition entirely at the network edge. To circumvent the limitations of traditional web infrastructure, the architecture introduces CALMS-NET, a geographically structured routing protocol. By replacing the conventional Domain Name System (DNS) with the CALMS Name System (CNS), which derives a private IPv6 namespace from Zimbabwe's telephone area codes, the system enables resilient local service discovery and peer-to-peer mesh networking among rural school clusters. This paper presents the design, architecture, and implementation strategy of CALMS, contextualised within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education.

Keywords

Learning Management Systems; TV White Spaces; Edge AI; Deterministic Routing; Private IPv6; Mesh Networking; Offline-First

Cite this paper

K.V. Kangai and A.M. Gamundani (2026) "Computer-Aided Learning Management Suite (CALMS): An Offline-First, TV White Space-Enabled Architecture for Equitable Education in Rural Zimbabwe", IST-Africa 2026 Conference Proceedings, Miriam Cunningham and Paul Cunningham (Eds), IST-Africa Institute and IIMC, 2026, ISSN: 2576-8581, ISBN: 978-1-905824-76-2, https://doi.org/10.67725/IST-Africa.2026.TTQV2083

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