Evidence
![Literacy proficiency](jpg/icebreaker-980x551-1.jpg)
Africa has made unprecedented gains in school enrolment in recent years. In 1999, only 59% of primary school-age children were enrolled in school in Sub-Saharan Africa. By 2016, 80% were enrolled.1
Many programmes aiming to improve the quality of education in Africa have been ineffective because they fail to address the needs of all students.
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Despite the success in getting children to school, learning outcomes are still desperately low in many contexts.
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Through this series of evaluations, researchers discovered that targeted instruction could be successful when delivered by tutors, volunteers, and government teachers, both in-school and out-of-school. Through this process, key programme components have been identified and strengthened. A recent paper by Banerjee et al 14 identifies two particularly strong models which work well at scale.
- Tutor- or volunteer-led learning TaRL camps held for periodic bursts of time were effective in Uttar Pradesh, India, in a location with relatively weak government support structures. This model includes local instructors leading TaRL activities for forty days with supplementary support in summer camps.
- Government teacher-led TaRL instruction throughout the school year was effective in Haryana, India, a state with relatively strong government systems. This intervention included a dedicated time for TaRL during the school day and support for teachers through strong mentoring and monitoring.
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2001-2003
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2002-2004
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2005-2006
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2005-2007
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2008
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2012-2013
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2013-2014
India: Volunteers pulled children out of school for 2 hours per day
India: Self-paced computer games
India: Volunteers led after-school classes for improving reading and mathematics
Kenya: Grade 1 classes divided by learning level, led by government teachers during the school day
India: One-month holiday camp held at school, led by teachers with volunteer support
India: In-school teacher-led programme for 1 hour per day throughout the school year. Strongly supported by government mentors
India: “Learning Camps” in government primary schools led by Pratham staff and supported by village vounteers