Can Information Nudges Prevent Learning Decay During COVID-19? Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment in Bangladesh

COVID-19 has created unprecedented difficulties for the education sector in Bangladesh, as schools remain closed since March 2020. To tackle this crisis, Bangladesh has taken a multi-pronged approach—delivering education through the national terrestrial television. However, the uptake of these programs has been low among rural students, and the leading causes of the low uptake have been information inadequacy and lack of commitment. This study aims to test through a randomized field experiment the impact of regular and repetitive information nudges on televised programs' uptake—delivered by SMS and automated voice calls to households. Moreover, the staggered proposed reopening of schools—based on grades—will help us identify the impact on learning outcomes, which will be measured by exams and SMS-based spot quizzes with achievement rewards. This study will help policy-makers understand effective solutions to reduce learning decay during the pandemic, which is scalable for Bangladesh and other developing countries.