Phone Telementoring to Protect Learning During COVID School Closures

Project Background

COVID-19 closures disrupted 1.5B students globally, hitting Bangladesh's low-income/first-gen learner rural kids hardest (limited ICT/parental support, plus disasters/unrest).
RCT tests low-cost telementoring via feature phones/university volunteers for primary kids + homeschooling guidance for mothers: weekly plans/10 thematic sessions (math/English, aligned SMS); evaluates learning/engagement in low-resource Khulna/Satkhira (200 villages, 838 mother-child pairs from 2019 GDRI frame of 6,503 households/223 villages).

Project Scope & Reach

Rural Khulna/Satkhira villages; 200 villages RCT; 838 mother-child pairs (kids 7-9, Grades 1-3) from GDRI's 6,503-household/223-village early childhood frame.

Key research partners

Monash University (CDES/Economics, Lead); J-PAL; Global Development Research Initiative (GDRI, local).

Funding & Support

Centre for Development Economics and Sustainability (CDES), Monash University.

Roles of GDRI

Capacity Development and Intervention Design: Adapted telementoring guidelines (Govt TTC materials) to rural primary math/English curriculum; designed weekly plans/10-session protocols/SMS; advised remote delivery (timing/length/norms) for basic phones.
Field Implementation and Community Engagement: Identified/recruited 838 pairs via directory/2019 data; randomized within 200 villages (balance-checked); mobilized local staff for weekly plans delivery (health-compliant); sustained 13-week participation, troubleshooting phone/scheduling.
Data Management, Cleaning, and Analysis: Baseline rapid surveys + 1-month post-assessments (English/math/Bangla/GK); parental surveys (homeschool time/leisure/parenting/aspirations/well-being); monitored sessions/SMS fidelity.