Reading for Life: Lasting Impacts of a Literacy Intervention in Uganda - Jason Kerwin

Title: Reading for Life: Lasting Impacts of a Literacy Intervention in Uganda

Abstract: Despite many examples of educational programs that are effective in the short run, evidence of programs that remain effective in the long-run are scarce. We study the Northern Uganda Literacy Project (NULP)---a three year early grade reading intervention that had large short-term impacts (1.2 SD in local language reading and 0.5 SD in English reading). We follow students 8-9 years after the program began (and 5-6 years after it ended) and find 58% of the effect remains in local language and 100% remains in English. These effects represent 4.4 extra years of learning in local-language reading and 1.6 extra years for English reading compared to the control group. We find no spillover effects on math or sexual behavior. The control group exhibits dismal grade progression and retention both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the literacy program had no impact on attendance or remaining in school, it did lead to improvements in grade progression.