Telementoring and Homeschooling During School Closures: How Simple Phone Calls Improved Learning in Rural Bangladesh; Research by Asad Islam

 Introduction

During the COVID-19 pandemic, schools around the world were shut down for months, leaving children and parents scrambling for ways to continue learning. In countries with poor internet access, like rural Bangladesh, many families had no options for online education. This study set out to answer a vital question: Can simple mentoring delivered over basic mobile phones help children keep learning when schools are closed?

How the Study Worked

Researchers partnered with families in 200 Bangladeshi villages. The focus was on primary school children (grades 1–3) and their mothers. In the study:

• Half of the families received weekly mentoring calls, where trained university student volunteers tutored children in math and English, and coached mothers on effective homeschooling.
• The other half did not receive this support and continued learning as best they could.

The mentoring lasted 13 weeks. Each phone session was about 30 minutes, blending tutoring for the children and practical advice and encouragement for the mothers. The program cost only about USD 20 per family.

Main Results

Children Learned More

• Children who received telementoring scored 35% higher on tests than those who did not, just one month after calls ended.
• These children did better not only in math and English (the focus subjects) but also in Bangla and general knowledge.
• Even a year later, after schools reopened, they continued to outperform their peers: 19% higher in English and 20% higher in math on follow-up tests.

Parental Involvement Improved

• Mothers in mentored families spent, on average, 22 minutes more per day helping with schoolwork during the program — and 14 minutes more, a year later.
• Parents, especially mothers, became more confident teaching, adopted more positive parenting habits, and set higher goals for their children’s education.
• Fathers in these households also became more involved in their children’s learning.

No Harmful Side Effects

• The boost in support did not reduce parents’ income, worsen their well-being, or cut into time for leisure or rest.

Biggest Gains

• Children who were struggling most before the calls improved the most, helping to close learning gaps.

Cost and Feasibility

• The approach was extremely low-cost and relied on technology already available to almost all families: basic mobile phones.
• Volunteer university students, not paid tutors, acted as mentors, making the model scalable in similar settings.

Why These Results Matter

• The study proves that effective learning support does not require high-tech gadgets. Simple, regular guidance and encouragement can have major impacts, especially for poor families.
• This low-cost telementoring model is a promising solution for any community facing school disruptions — be it from pandemics, natural disasters, or conflict.
• Equipping parents, even those with little formal education, to become learning partners for their children is a powerful and sustainable strategy.

Policy Implications

• Governments, NGOs, and educators should consider scaling up phone-based mentoring in places where schools may close again or where internet access is limited.
• Mobilizing educated volunteers in every country can build resilient support systems for the most vulnerable students.

For detailed insights:-

https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=0NXsy30AAAAJ&citation_for_view=0NXsy30AAAAJ:Vztgr1qGG8IC