Special Report: The Importance of Making an Edtech Intervention When it Matters

In the second part of our special report we will discuss how Khud’s approach tackles the crisis of dropouts both in theory and practice.

Timing is everything in the fight against drop-outs. This is a lesson that we have learnt over the years, in several iterations of our model and meticulous planning over the drawing board. The questions that drive this outcome are:

 If we are to stop children from dropping out, when do we make an intervention? Should we make better primary schools or focus on an age group that can demonstrate a marked difference in learning in under a year?

Data on dropouts signaled something going wrong at the primary-middle school boundary (a 12.9 million deficit of enrollment), the communities we work in helped us zero in even more, we found that 6th grade was where our intervention would matter the most. From community research we learnt that around this age (6th grade), parents started expecting children to help out with domestic and occupational chores of the family and in some extreme cases found their children fit to be married if the “right” match came along.

Thus Khud’s digital skills program starts in 6th grade and works towards building a marked difference in the skills of the children enrolled. When children begin to learn the use of computers and at some point even earn a small stipend from the Khud program, parents view this as their child learning a hunar or skill. This helps change perceptions about the importance of Edtech overall, as parents realize the possibility of a stable family income if their children are kept in school for longer. Once this realization sets in early marriage and child labor seem as imprudent choices, although a chunk of our students still help out with their parents but don’t have to leave school for it.

A Khud Class underway

(Collaboration with Harsukh)

According to a 2020 study, if young girls are allowed to continue their education till only 9th grade their probability of delaying marriage to after their 18th birthday drastically increases (Marphatia et al 2020). However for young girls this battle is an uphill one, therefore Khud team members provide regular counseling to parents to convince them of the virtue of keeping their child in school.

 In sum, we focus on rapid skill development and frequent community engagement to ensure that no child is prematurely taken out of school in the communities we serve.