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Last Mile Learning

Accelerated foundational learning through a digital approach.

Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are one of the most marginalised groups around the globe, with little to no access to basic education. This project focuses on the education of children aged 6-11, with self-sufficient solar-powered MP3 player instruction in foundational literacy and numeracy. Children self-direct their own learning- it's a game changer for education!

HundrED 2024

Overview

HundrED has selected this innovation to

HundrED Global Collection 2024

EdTech: Bangladesh

Web presence

2022

Established

1.68K

Children

5

Countries
Target group
Students basic
Updated
March 2023
Street Child’s mission is to provide access to education for the world’s most isolated and marginalized populations, based on the belief that education is the cornerstone of change in earning and wellbeing. Through the 'Last Mile Learning' approach, those often left behind, have a chance to start or continue their education, and reach basic literacy and numeracy levels.

About the innovation

Why did you create this innovation?

There are around 400,000 Rohingya refugee children of school-going age living in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, and all of them have been out-of-school since March 2020 due to COVID-19 lockdown and school closures. The negative effects of school-lessness are both immediate and long-term. The languages of humanitarian assistance in the camps are Burmese and English, but the Rohingya can read neither.

What does your innovation look like in practice?

The unique selling point for this remote model is that it is designed to be successful for children learning outside a formal structure, who have limited resources, and little-to-no learning support from caregivers, either because their caregivers are absent or because they are first-generation learners. It uses a tried and tested accelerated learning methodology called Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL), which forms the basis of all Street Child’s (SC) education provision and which resulted in an endorsement of SC's education provision in Liberia by the Centre for Global Development in 2019. Street Child proposes to adapt this methodology – now embedded in a remote learning framework – for use in the Cox’s Bazar / Rohingya refugee context, where there is an urgent need for a swift return to learning.

The audio-recorded classes shall be monitored by community volunteers, where the whole community will own the learning modality to ensure the sustainability of the project.

How has it been spreading?

The main achievement is that the project has reached 1,680 Rohingya refugee children aged 6-11, who could not access digital technology, with almost entirely self-sufficient instruction in foundational literacy and numeracy. Children have self-directed their own learning, using a blended approach of activities including:

1. Printed and laminated learning packs containing games, songs, worksheets, activities and reading materials, to be deployed with resources that children are likely to have available in their homes and environments (e.g. sticks and stones); and

2. Audio-assisted learning via pre-recorded audio messages played through solar-powered MP3 players, which children will share.

Over the next 2 years, we hope to reach 10K+ Rohingya children in Bangladesh on Bahasan Char Island.

If I want to try it, what should I do?

For further information please reach out to
Imtiaz Ridoy- Project Manager Bangladesh. imtiaz.ridoy@street-child.org
Zahid Mahmood- Global Advisory. zahid.mahmood@street-child.org

The process for scalability is simple and easy to replicate- which Street Child can help facilitate. Digital training, along with the tailored resources can be shared.

Impact & scalability

HundrED Academy Reviews

An innovative and cost-effective way to use technology to reach some of the most disadvantaged students on the planet - this project is making clear impacts on literacy and numeracy learning using evidence-based methods and innovative tech.

The innovation uses self-sufficient solar-powered MP3 player for instruction, which has the potential of being scaled to low-connectivity settings, or places in conflict.

- Academy member
Academy review results
Impact
Scalability
Exceptional
High
Moderate
Limited
Insufficient
Exceptional
High
Moderate
Limited
Insufficient
Read more about our selection process

Implementation steps

Adapt Learning Framework
Adapt / develop remote learning framework including curriculum and lesson plans
• Identify & hire consultant via our Education Sector partnerships and network
• Adapt / develop remote learning curriculum which dovetails with Education Sector plans
• Adapt / develop lesson plans which dovetail with Education Sector plans
Develop and produce printed and recorded learning
Adapt / develop learning materials – paper-based and recorded instruction
• Translate learning materials and scripts into Rohingya
• Print and laminate all paper-based learning materials
• Purchase 280 solar-powered MP3 players
• Record relevant lessons onto MP3 players using scripts
Recruit 20 Teaching Assistants & Train
Recruit 20 Teaching Assistants
• Design 1 x week training course in TaRL, hygiene & program delivery
• Deliver training to Teaching Assistants in TaRL, health and hygiene (including PPE and sanitizing learning materials) and program management e.g. timings and schedule rotation etc.
• Purchase & distribute PPE (2 washable masks, 1 box gloves and 1 x hand sanitizer) to staff
Deliver remote learning to 1,680 Rohingya
Finalise cohort of 1,680 children for participation in the program
• Distribute PPE to students
• Deliver printed materials / recorded instruction to each child weekly
• 30-minute weekly check-in per child to address basic learning queries & ensure program retention
• Carry out baseline, midline and endline assessments of children’s learning levels to support programmatic evaluation at program-end
• Regular check-ins between education manager and Tas to monitor attendance & performance

Spread of the innovation

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