This article, “Delivering Remote Learning Using a Low-Tech Solution: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial in Bangladesh,” provides rigorous evidence on the effectiveness of low-tech remote education during prolonged school closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a clustered randomized controlled trial involving 1,763 primary school children across 90 rural villages in Bangladesh, the study implements an Interactive Voice Response (IVR)-based education intervention delivered via basic mobile phones. The intervention significantly improved literacy and numeracy outcomes—by approximately 0.60 standard deviations—particularly for academically weaker students and those from disadvantaged households. The authors demonstrate that scalable, low-cost remote learning solutions can mitigate learning losses in resource-constrained settings where internet and digital access are limited, with important implications for educational policy and crisis response strategies in low- and middle-income countries.
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https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/730456