Literacy Boost Quetta, Pakistan Year 2 November 2014

This report examines the results of a learner background survey and reading assessment conducted in Quetta District, Balochistan province, Pakistan prior to beginning the second phase Literacy Boost intervention and again after one year of implementation. The first phase focused on interventions using the mother tongue, while the second phase used Urdu to see what would be the improvement of the students’ reading skills when taught in Urdu directly.

The baseline survey and reading assessment covered 280 grade 2 learners throughout 28 schools in Quetta District in the Balochistan province and the follow up gathered data again from 228 of these children. The 28 schools are split into 20 primary schools designated to receive Literacy Boost and 8 comparison primary schools receiving no intervention. This report explores: the comparability of the learners in Literacy Boost and comparison schools at endline, the skills profiles at endline and gains from the baseline, equity in learning by gender, poverty, home literacy and other characteristics. These results will inform targeting of further intervention.