Programs
ConnectEd is a phone-based tutoring program that delivers targeted instruction and foundational maths and literacy lessons. Designed for low-connectivity settings, it boosts learning using a basic mobile phone, with no internet and no apps required.
Why it matters
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed just how fragile learning systems can be, and beyond the pandemic many students face disruptions to schooling due to natural disasters and weather shocks, conflict, or crisis. When schools are closed, millions of children fall behind with their education. Additionally, in many contexts even when school isn’t disrupted, large class sizes and limited teaching time mean that struggling students don't get the support they need. Whether during emergencies or in everyday classrooms, ConnectEd helps ensure learning continues for those most at risk of being left behind.
What ConnectEd does differently
ConnectEd ensures students can connect with education from anywhere, using just a basic mobile phone. The program combines two powerful elements: a platform that delivers learning through widely accessible, low-cost mobile phones, and a pedagogy that provides targeted instruction matched to each child’s learning level.
Through weekly SMS-based learning prompts and live tutoring calls with trained facilitators or the child’s own teachers, ConnectEd helps children at risk of falling behind in maths or literacy catch up. The calls are interactive, engaging, and tailored to each student, with weekly assessments to measure progress and ensure that lessons are always at the right level. Caregivers are encouraged to take part, reinforcing learning at home—a practice shown to double the program’s impact.
“Before ConnectEd, my son really struggled with maths. He found it difficult to deal with double or multiple-digit operations. He changed because of ConnectEd, he is now a different boy. That program was very good, it helped him learn a lot.”
Nnalongo Madina, parent of ConnectEd student (Uganda)
How do we know it works?
An initial RCT, published in Nature Human Behaviour, found that ConnectEd delivered 0.89 standard deviations of learning per US$100—ranking it among the most cost-effective education interventions globally. Further RCT evidence across five countries showed consistent effectiveness across contexts, with average learning gains of 0.30–0.35 standard deviations. These effects place ConnectEd in the top 1% most cost-effective education interventions globally.
How do we make it work even better?
Every school term, we run randomized iterative A/B tests to improve the ConnectEd program. We test variations in content, delivery, and materials to find ways to: improve outcomes, lower costs, or scale more effectively.
Some examples of what we’ve tested, and what we learned:
This rapid, rigorous, and regular optimization means we’re always delivering the best possible version of ConnectEd.
Are bi-weekly 40-minute calls as effective as weekly 20-minute calls in improving learning?
Yes, and this is a cheaper model, so we adopted it
Do additional WhatsApp videos improve impact at low cost?
No, so we dropped this idea.
Does having caregivers lead part of the phone call instruction increase learning?
Yes, having the caregiver take over the call halfway through doubles the learning impact, so we adopted that model
The scale model
ConnectEd’s model allows for flexibility; it can be delivered by NGO staff or government teachers. Governments in India and the Philippines, for example, are investing heavily in training their teachers to deliver the program. ConnectEd has also been found to scale well across geographies and contexts: In India, the Karnataka government has pledged to bring ConnectEd to over 1 million students leveraging government teachers across the state. In settings with frequent disruption, additional models beyond the traditional government system can support education system resilience. For example, in Ethiopia, ConnectEd is delivered for conflict-displaced youth through University students. ConnectEd is agile and scalable: built for learning continuity and education system resilience.
Where do we deliver ConnectEd?
We work closely with governments to deliver ConnectEd in the following countries:
Botswana
India
The Philippines
We also work or have worked with partners to deliver ConnectEd in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mexico, Namibia, Nepal, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Somalia, and Uganda.