Publication Details

Description: 

This paper examines the impact of delivering remote educational content via Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology to primary school students in Bangladesh during the Covid-19 school closures. The 15-week program provided audio lessons accessible via mobile phones, aiming to improve literacy and numeracy among children in resource-poor settings.

Key Findings:

• The IVR-based intervention significantly improved literacy and numeracy test scores by 0.60 standard deviations.
• Increased parental involvement in homeschooling was observed.
• The intervention was particularly beneficial for academically weaker students and those with less-educated caregivers.
• No significant impact on leadership skills or non-cognitive skills such as grit and empathy.

Related Project: 

Investing in our Future: Early Childhood Intervention and Parental Involvement in Bangladesh 

Contact Information: 

Asad Islam, Centre for Development Economics and Sustainability (CDES), Monash University, VIC 3145, Australia. Email: asadul.islam@monash.edu