Generating literacy via cell phones in Pakistan
A pilot project initiated by UNESCO in Pakistan’s Punjab province is promoting literacy among marginalised women through mobile phones. Under the programme, learners receive basic lessons and reading materials in local languages and communicate with the educators using text messages.
Pakistan: A literacy programme delivered through the mobile phone to disadvantaged female learners in Punjab showed improved literacy skills.
- Pakistan is the fourth largest contributor to the world illiterate population/ Photo credit: Future Gov
The five-month programme, initiated by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), targeted 250 females aged 15 to 24 years old in three districts.
Pakistan, with half its population illiterate, is the fourth largest contributor to the world illiterate population. The literacy rate for males is 63%, compared to only 36% for females, making the country with one of the widest gap in this region.
One of the main challenges in promoting literacy in the country is the lack of interest, said Ichiro Miyazawa of UNESCO Islamabad. “Many youths, after attending the basic literacy course, often relapse into illiteracy because the available reading materials are either too difficult or not interesting enough.”
In this pilot project which ended last month, these learners who have just completed the basic literacy course, were given a mobile phone each. They receive three text messages a day in the local language. They are required to practise reading and writing the messages in their work book and reply to their teachers by text.
Monthly assessments held at the learning centres showed improvement in literacy skills. While results varied in the three districts – Lahore, Sialkot and Hafizabad – learners who scored C reduced from an average of 52% to 12%.
UNESCO invested US$57 per learner to run this trial programme. Miyazawa expected that cost could be lowered to US$33 if the mobile phones were reused by at least three learners.
“We want the programme to be sustainable. If the learner wishes to continue after completing the programme, he or she can pay US$6 to keep the phone and continue receiving the messages,” he added.
While it will take some time to create awareness and gain acceptance, Miyazawa is confident that the benefits will quickly win the population. “56% of learners and their family members were initially negative about the programme. The parents, in particularly, disapproved of their children carrying mobile phones and doubted that the phones would be used for learning. However, 87% of them were satisfied with the effectiveness of the programme at the end.”
