A recent article published by Millennium Post assesses the impact of the RightToRead initiative in India. The article critically examines this technology-enabled program and how it is contributing to solving the problem of illiteracy. 

A huge number of children around the globe still struggle with reading. Lack of infrastructure, qualified teachers, and supplementary resources place students from lower socio-economic backgrounds at a disadvantage they cannot overcome on their own. 

EnglishHelper, a social enterprise, crafted the RightToRead program, a multi-stakeholder initiative that is committed to leverage technology for effectively addressing the reading crisis.

The AI technology, designed on the principles of how the brain acquires a new language, provides students multi-sensory exposure to their textbooks. More than 100,000  tests have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. The results have consistently shown that the students exposed to the RightToRead program perform 20-40% better than the counterfactual. 

EnglishHelper has now launched ReadToMe Student Edition, an Android app. The app has made the program accessible on Android devices and gives students a platform to continue reading and revising their textbooks at home. 

Since its launch in 2013, the RightToRead Program has expanded significantly. Many states have approved the implementation of this program in their schools. Maharashtra has approved the implementation of the program in 65,000 government schools. Sri Lanka has approved the program for all 10,000 schools in the country. The program is currently being implemented in all JNV schools covering 90% of the districts of the country! 

The literacy gap is huge and challenging. This tech-enabled initiative provides hope because it can be adapted to local requirements and can scale rapidly. An important ingredient for success is the engagement of multiple players, each bringing their unique capabilities and contribution. EnglishHelper has a strategic partnership with Schoolnet India Ltd for deploying the program across the government school network in India.

The original article has been written by Anil Swarup and published by Millennium Post.

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