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Telementoring and homeschooling during school closures: A randomized experiment in rural Bangladesh

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  • Hassan, Hashibul
  • Islam, Asad
  • Siddique, Abu
  • Wang, Liang Choon

Abstract

Using a randomized experiment in 200 Bangladeshi villages, we evaluate the impact of an over-the-phone learning support intervention (telementoring) among primary school children and their mothers during Covid-19 school closures. Following the intervention, treated children scored 0.75 SD (35%) higher on a standardized test, and the homeschooling involvement of treated mothers increased by 22 minutes per day (26%). We returned to the participants one year later, after schools briefly reopened, and find that impacts on learning gains and homeschooling had persisted. Academically weaker children benefitted the most from the intervention that only cost $20 per child.

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  • Hassan, Hashibul & Islam, Asad & Siddique, Abu & Wang, Liang Choon, 2021. "Telementoring and homeschooling during school closures: A randomized experiment in rural Bangladesh," SocArXiv mhyq5, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:socarx:mhyq5
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/mhyq5
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    Cited by:

    1. Abhijeet Singh & Mauricio Romero & Karthik Muralidharan, 2022. "Covid-19 Learning Loss and Recovery: Panel Data Evidence from India," NBER Working Papers 30552, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Emily Beam & Priya Mukherjee & Laia Navarro-Sola, 2022. "Lowering Barriers to Remote Education: Experimental Impacts on Parental Responses and Learning," Working Papers 2022-030, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    3. Wang, Liang Choon & Vlassopoulos, Michael & Islam, Asad & Hassan, Hashibul, 2023. "Delivering Remote Learning Using a Low-Tech Solution: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial in Bangladesh," IZA Discussion Papers 15920, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Harry Anthony Patrinos, 2022. "Learning loss and learning recovery," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 49(2), pages 183-188, June.
    5. Noam Angrist & Peter Bergman & Moitshepi Matsheng, 2022. "Experimental evidence on learning using low-tech when school is out," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 6(7), pages 941-950, July.
    6. Crawfurd, Lee & Evans, David K. & Hares, Susannah & Sandefur, Justin, 2023. "Live tutoring calls did not improve learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sierra Leone," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).

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    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • P46 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Consumer Economics; Health; Education and Training; Welfare, Income, Wealth, and Poverty

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