Does literacy intervention program impact pupils' learning outcomes? evidence from the unlock literacy program in Handeni district, Tanzania
Résumé
Introduction: Improving foundational literacy remains a major educational challenge in many developing countries, particularly in underserved rural settings where pupils often exhibit low reading proficiency. In Tanzania, literacy intervention programs have been introduced to strengthen early-grade reading competencies and contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) on inclusive and quality education. This study assessed the impact of the Unlock Literacy Intervention Program on pupils' learning outcomes in Handeni District, Tanzania. Methods: The study employed an observational impact evaluation design using Propensity Score Matching (PSM) to estimate the causal effect of the intervention while minimizing selection bias. Data were collected from 250 Grade 3 pupils selected from eight public primary schools comprising treatment and comparison groups. Literacy outcomes were measured using a continuous composite literacy score generated from standardized assessments of letter identification, word recognition, decoding, story reading, and reading comprehension. Average Treatment Effects on the Treated (ATT) and Average Treatment Effects (ATE) were estimated to evaluate program effectiveness. Results: The findings reveal that the Unlock Literacy Intervention Program had a positive and statistically significant effect on pupils' literacy outcomes. The ATT estimates indicate that pupils who participated in the program scored, on average, 13.66 points higher than comparable non-participants ( p < 0.001). Similarly, the ATE estimates show an overall improvement of 12.39 points ( p < 0.001), suggesting broad program effectiveness across the study population. The results further indicate that participating pupils achieved stronger gains in foundational literacy skills than their non-participating counterparts. Discussion: The study demonstrates that targeted literacy interventions can substantially improve foundational reading competencies among primary school pupils in resource-constrained settings. The findings underscore the importance of sustained investment in early-grade literacy programs, teacher support, and evidence-based educational interventions to enhance learning outcomes. The study contributes to ongoing policy discussions on improving literacy achievement and advancing SDG 4 through inclusive and equitable quality education. Future research should examine the long-term effects of literacy interventions on academic progression and broader educational attainment.
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