Optimising Messaging to Promote Returns to School in Ghana for Marginalised Learners
Country: Ghana | Topic Area: Participation & Messaging
Quick links
Project summary
Using messaging to share information on the benefits, costs, and quality of education can be a highly cost-effective way to promote participation in schooling and achieve substantial learning gains. However, there are unanswered questions regarding why messaging works in some contexts and not in others, and what is it specifically about messaging that works?
This study will answer these questions by evaluating the impact that tailoring different message characteristics has on promoting returns to education among marginalised groups in Ghana.
Using sandbox and design-based research (DBR) methodologies, the impact of tailoring individual message characteristics will be tested with small experiment groups.
The learning from these experiments will subsequently support a large-scale quantitative analysis to determine the relative impact that optimising important message characteristics has on students’ attendance rate, and the variation in impact between different marginalised groups. Ultimately this intends to further the evidence-base for answering which aspects of messaging are most effective in increasing participation in education for marginalised groups.
Image Credit: Daniel Peprah
Research questions
- What is the efficacy of different message characteristics and modalities?
- How cost-effective are different models of message delivery?
- What is the overall impact on attitudes and attendance of girls and other marginalised learners?
- What are the comparative findings about the suitability of messaging in different contexts, and what are the practical implications of these findings?
Discover evidence
Country-Level Research Review:
EdTech in Ghana
Messaging Apps, SMS, and
Social Media:
A Rapid Evidence Review
First Lessons from Our Study: Optimising Messaging for Returns to School
Optimising Messaging for Returns to School
Story of change
In recent years, Northern Ghana has made significant strides in improving educational opportunities for girls and other marginalised learners, aiming to promote school attendance. Wunni Sabo, a parent from the Zarantinga community, shares his experience.
Study contacts
- Joel Mitchell, Principal Investigator — Contact Joel
- Nathan Kably, Innovation Lead — Contact Nathan
- Annette Zhao, Research Associate — Contact Annette
- Jonny D’Rozario, Research Associate — Contact Jonny
Key partner roles
-
Craft Education – Technical partner
- School for Life – Implementation partner
