Using Evidence to Scale Up India’s Most Promising Education Intervention

Abstract

Abstract This chapter outlines how Pratham, one of India’s best-known organizations working in primary education, went from designing methods to understand the contours of the “learning crisis” to developing solutions that were then used at scale across the country for raising children’s ability to read and do arithmetic. Evidence has played a significant role in this journey. First, the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) highlighted the “invisible problem” of children’s learning across the country. Second, Pratham’s own internal measurement systems, along with a series of randomized controlled trials, evaluated Pratham’s evolving solution for raising children’s reading and arithmetic scores. Additionally, the chapter highlights the critical role of partnerships at various levels of government, as well as community engagement, including parents and volunteers. Essential elements to Pratham’s success have been the focus on raising awareness of the problem and demonstrating simple and actionable solutions.