S
Shaheen
Sha
Attiq-ur-Rahman
n
V
ic Chairperson
Vice
BUNYAD
Foundation
B
U
Gender Gaps in Development
Female Rural Lit. 10+
Pakistan has a very large
number of female literates
Resulting in
Less girls enrollment in
school
More drop outs from the
primary level
Gender disparity arises in
every sector.
S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l 65%
IIlliterate
l
enrollment also very low
Adult Women’s indifference
to be more illiterate
Total Illiterates
? How to create a demand
with ICT
35%
Literate
1972 28 Million
2004 46 Million
Source: 1998 Census
Illiterate Literate via Mobile Phones
Completely. Illiterate young adolescent
women, making them literate.
Traditionally acceptance Only of Literacy
Quranic literate
Same alphabets, familiar....
Per- condition. ...that those identified were
Quranic literate by "rote" system
Average age group. 18+
Married. 45 %
Un married. 55%
Rural areas .
Why Mobile Phones For Literacy
In Pakistan?
Literacy in Pakistan
97 million mobile phone users /180 mil. Pop. = 50% users
Illiterate rural women nearly 70%
Wider gender gap (M- 63%, F- 36%)
Low efficiency of traditional literacy approaches
Low retention of literacy
72% have mobile phone while 12% have bank accounts
Mobile phone and SMS
Communication is fun and habitual
Anytime and Anywhere, possible to learn
Short, easy, simple, and interesting messages
95 million people have mobile phone in Pakistan
More Pakistanis have mobile phones then Bank Accounts
How to Do?
Literacy
Centers
SMS
(Bunyad IT Section
Send Message
through Software)
T
O
Received By
Teacher & Learner
T
Learner Write on
Note Book
Checked by
Mobilizers
Learners Response
through SMS to
Bunyad & their
families
Teacher Checked
Notebook & Taking
test every week
Checked by Bunyad MLC Incharge
Teacher’s Training on Computer
Topics of the SMS
Jokes
Poetry
Holy
Quran
& Hadis
Health &
Children
Care
Riddles
Hygiene
Nutrition
Body
Care
Tips
Law &
Union
Council
Recipes
Quotation
Environment
Skills
Economy
General
Knowledge
Livestock
Steps Learning Process Female Learners
Pre-Test /Evaluation of learners
Reading and Writing in Urdu
Basic Numeracy
Hard ware and soft ware of Mobile
Functions of mobile
Typing at Mobile in Urdu
Learners received messages (1 to 10 words)
Writing messages on Notebook & Read out –
Loudly
Orientation about computer
Received Messages,
Write & Reply Messages
Basic use of computer –internet etc
Received, write & Reply Messages
Post Evaluation
Assessment daily, weekly and monthly MLC
• Literacy
• Formal Education
• Skills
• Network
• Govt./Others
CLC
• Site for Community
• Information Center
• IT Hunt
• Recreation
• Co Capacity Building
Sustainability and Expansion
Contribution of Learners ($ 6) to continue for the next 4 months
Now experimenting with those Learners who have their " own"
mobiles to Take to scale
Local donors being tapped
Making efforts for self financing this activity
MLC’s will be sustained as female computer centers ,short
courses
Future of this Innovative Approach
Subsidies being found from phone manufacturers
Linking with AIOU, distance learning for LLL.
In-process of making a computer software for transfer from SMS.
UN/NGO/Donor/Govt. could support to set standards, develop
messages, and monitor learning.
Third party Evaluation
Dr. Ra’ana Malik , Gender Studies Department ,Punjab University
. Illiterate Girls become literate in 7 months
Could Read and Write themselves,
Gained Confidence & continued their Learning due to relevant information/Messages
Parents/Male relatives gradually accepted this change
Phases
1st Phase
2nd Phase
3rd Phase
Duration Districts
August 2009 – December 2009
Lahore
Hafizabad
Sialkot
March 2010 – August 2010
Lahore
Hafizabad
Sialkot
Mandi bhud Din
# of centers
# of learners
Level of Learning
from Complete
Illiteracy % of success
10
250
Self Learning 50
1250
Self Learning
March 2012 - October 2012
Rahim Yar Khan
Muzzafergarh
Multan
Khanewal
Sialkot
50
1250
Self Learning
83% (according to 3rd part
evaluation report)
At the end of phase 1
8 centers sustained, out of 10
centers –
Community Learning
Centers &owned by local
communities .
87% (according to 3rd part
evaluation report)
CLC’s have been developed, in
most.
Having reading material’s
Have awareness sessions on
health& hygiene , live stock .
CRC, women's rights etc
Learners completed their
shared with other sibling/
children. female Current position
89% (according to 3rd part
evaluation report)
10 Mobile Learning Centers up
graded Female Computer
Centers ,
Short courses given , fees
recovered.
75% learner still responding g
via SMS to us SMS
Strengths
Illiterate rural young women taught the 3 R’sreading,
In third phase introduced e-Taleem App .were uploaded in memory cards, its.
Learners used this application in the absence of teacher. Could get guidance
any time and any where.
writing & numeracy, learning to use the calculator
Messages, new ideas shared, health, religious, nutrition, child care, law etc
Short learning duration technology , 7 months.
Improved communication, leaving isolation
Besides becoming self Learners /tremendous confidence
Excited to learn, no dropouts!
Training of Teachers via Mobile phones
Use of calculator helps them in marketing
Use of ICT’s &technologies helpful in A E. Learners take interest in further
learning,
GAPS Male/ family suspicion an issue.
Suspicion by elders/ male relatives about its use
Govt. & Companies not too helpful, in cost sharing
Bit expensive :55$ per Learner (5 months +)
Phones may be taken over by male relatives
END RESULT
The member/client (2750)can read/write 600 messages +
Often also head lines of the News papers
Obtain messages for better Health, Farmers messages, Family
Planning, Law etc
Introduction of Technology to deprived female youth, easier relate to
Computer
Maths : 4 digits & use of calculators
Recognize 3 digits sums
Sustainability: Read Translation of 30 chapters of Holy QURAN.
62% learners still replying even after the project completion
Connect them to inter net.. Improved access to information
Main findings of evaluation report,
Success
Illiterate women become literate in months
Messages give them new ideas to improve their lives
Children’s home work help by these learners
Next step taking on new learners who have their own mobiles