Addressing Learning Loss Using Low Tech Remote Learning among Underprivileged High School Students: The Bangladesh Case

Project Background:

Despite high secondary school enrolment, learning outcomes in Bangladesh are very low, especially in rural areas, with large shares of students failing to reach grade‑level competencies in English and mathematics. These gaps likely widened after one of the world’s longest COVID‑19 school closures (March 2020–September 2021), which severely disrupted the learning of grade 9–10 students preparing for the high‑stakes SSC exam.​

Students from low‑SES rural households struggle most to catch up because parents cannot help with advanced curricula, and access to quality private tutoring is limited. Building on prior phone‑based IRI/IVR work, this project proposes low‑cost, IVR‑delivered interactive audio lessons (podcasts) in English and mathematics for SSC examinees, combined with role‑model messages and aspirations content, to mitigate learning loss and improve motivation.

Project Areas

• Rural and peri‑urban secondary schools in south‑western Bangladesh.​

• Planned sample: 210 schools (clusters), with approximately 2,520+ grade‑9 students (SSC 2024 examinees).

Project Authority:

• Lead Researchers: (implied by references) team including previous IVR and tutoring researchers such as Hassan, Islam, and collaborators.​

• Implementing Partner: Global Development and Research Initiative (GDRI), local NGO.​

• Technology Partner: IVR service provider to be subcontracted for toll‑free platform and call‑flow operations.

Donors:

·       Proposal stage: funding to be sought; design informed by previous projects funded in similar areas (e.g. prior IVR/IRI education interventions).

Roles of GDRI:

Capacity Development and Intervention Design:

• Collaborates with the research team and local educators to operationalise lesson plans into IVR‑compatible audio content in English and mathematics, aligned with the national curriculum for grades 9–10.​

• Recruits “role‑model” content creators (high‑calibre university students with tutoring experience) to record 144 podcast lessons (72 per subject), ensuring clear communication and locally appropriate delivery.​

• Coordinates with the IVR technology provider to set up the toll‑free number, test the IVR flow, and ensure stable access for rural users.

Field Implementation and Community Engagement:

• Leads school and student recruitment in south‑western Bangladesh, enrolling roughly 12–15 grade‑9 students per school across 210 schools.​

• Organises pre‑intervention briefings where field staff demonstrate how to access IVR lessons, explain expected benefits for SSC performance, and clarify support channels.​

• For the Assisted (T2) arm, recruits and manages local tutors who provide bi‑weekly 30‑minute support calls, addressing comprehension problems and motivational constraints.

• versees regular SMS campaigns (two messages per week) providing reminders, nudges, and information on module content, lesson plans, and career guidance.

• Monitors IVR usage data (call frequency, duration, lesson progression, quiz responses) to track engagement and identify implementation bottlenecks.

Data Management, Cleaning, and Analysis:

• versees regular SMS campaigns (two messages per week) providing reminders, nudges, and information on module content, lesson plans, and career guidance.

• Monitors IVR usage data (call frequency, duration, lesson progression, quiz responses) to track engagement and identify implementation bottlenecks.