Midline Evaluation Report: Literacy empowerment alliance for a resilient new generation (LEARN) project

This evaluation assesses the impact of the first year of implementation of the LEARN Project (July 2023 – February 2025), funded by Save the Children Hong Kong, in improving early childhood learning and development among Pattani–Malay ethnic minority children aged 3–5 in Thailand’s Deep South. Using a quasi-experimental design and IDELA assessment tools, the evaluation tracks changes from baseline to midline across learning outcomes, home learning environments, ECCD quality, and teacher competencies. Findings reveal that the LEARN program has led to measurable improvements in children’s emergent literacy and numeracy skills, with marginal gains in socio-emotional development. Children in the intervention group benefited particularly from multilingual support, stronger parental engagement—especially fathers—and more conducive learning environments at home.

The evaluation also highlights significant improvements in ECCD learning environments, teacher capacity, and professional well-being. Teachers reported enhanced skills in early childhood pedagogy, especially in early literacy, motor development, and inclusive practices. The program’s efforts to strengthen community engagement, promote positive parenting, and support teacher motivation have further contributed to holistic child development outcomes. These findings underscore the value of localized, culturally responsive interventions and inform future programming to promote equitable access to quality early childhood education in diverse and underserved contexts.