Improving learning outcomes in Burundi through the use of television in the classroom

There is a lack of solid evidence on the impact of using televisions in classrooms in low-income countries, despite the potential benefits that such a low-cost technology could bring to education in these settings by addressing the issue of teacher quality while also contributing to teacher training (Bold, 2017; WEF, 2024). Historical experiments in the 1970s and 1980s on the large-scale use of televisions in African classrooms were abandoned after a few years, not due to a lack of effectiveness but mainly because of implementation issues in the wake of independence (Koné and Jenkins, 1990). Today, the capacities of ministries of education have improved and the technology is more advanced, making television a viable solution to the challenges faced by many low-income countries. Research on broad technology use in classrooms suggests that to maximize impact, technology should supplement rather than replace the teacher (Bianchi and Song, 2022; UNESCO, 2023). However, there is a need to understand how much classroom time should be devoted to this specific technology to maximize its impact on learning outcomes, as well as its cost-effectiveness.