Prevent Learning Decay During COVID-19 in Bangladesh - using Information Nudges and Telephonic Remedial Sessions

Funding authority

Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)

Project Investigators

1. Dr. Abu S, Shonchoy, Florida International University, USA.

2. Dr. Tomoki Fuji, Singapore Management University.

3. Dr. Christine Ho, Singapore Management University.

4. Dr. Rohan Roy, Post-doctoral researcher, National University of Singapore.

Project Duration

1 YEAR.

Project Period

September 2021 to September 2022

COVID-19 has created unprecedented difficulties for the education sector in Bangladesh, as schools remain closed since March 2020. To tackle this crisis,  Bangladesh has taken a multi-pronged approach—delivering education through the national terrestrial television. However, the uptake of these programs has been low among rural students.  

J-PAL Funded Project Inception Meeting on "Prevent Learning Decay During COVID-19" organized by MOMODa FOUNDATION at Piarapur High School, Gaibandha, Bangladesh.

Through a randomized field experiment, this study aims to test the impact of regular and repetitive information nudges on televised programs' uptake-delivered by SMS (Short Message Service) and automated voice calls to households. A random sub-set of treated students will additionally receive regular telephone-based tutoring support. The learning impact will be measured utilizing exams and SMS-based spot quizzes with achievement rewards. 

This study will help understand effective solutions to reduce learning decay during the pandemic, which is scalable for both Bangladesh and other developing countries.

MOMODa FOUNDATION, as a research-oriented development organization in Bangladesh,  has rich experience in project implementation in collaboration with international academic and research institutions. The  FOUNDATION  has recently implemented the ‘Incentivizing School Attendance’  project. 

A training session at MOMODa project office, Gaibandha on the project understanding.

In this continuation of success, a research team from the FOUNDATION will conduct this study coordinating with the local education department to connect with school headmasters to identify potential secondary schools and seek the agreements/consents from these schools to be part of the study. Then, the team will collect student details for this research before recruiting them and contact households over the phone to seek their informed consent for participation.

KEY FEATURES OF THE PROJECT

1. Objectives: This study aims to improve the learning outcomes or, at the least, prevent learning decay due to school closures during COVID-19.

2. Sample Size: This study sample will have 1,200 students attending grades 6 to 10 in four schools in the Gaibandha district in Bangladesh.

Data collection of J-PAL Baseline Survey. 

3. Data Collection: This study will implement simple information nudges through SMS and automated voice calls to increase viewership of Sangsad TV  and live social medial classes for secondary school students.

4. Outcome measures: school continuation, attendance, and learning.

5. Duration: The project will continue up to September 2022.  

Collection of student lists from the school register books.