AI, implementation and academic outcomes in poor resource settings: experimental evidence from Ghana

Low-and-middle income countries (LMIC) are experiencing a learning crisis, with less than 15% of sub-Saharan African students reaching minimum mathematics proficiency by the end of middle school (UNESCO, 2017). Students are often taught content far above their ability level and lack opportunities for practice and timely feedback. While high-quality one-on-one instruction has long been advocated to address these issues (Bloom 1984; Chi et al., 2001), the low supply and high cost of quality tutors in West Africa, pose significant barriers to access (Bray 2021). Consequently, research is needed to identify affordable and scalable interventions tailored to this context. Leveraging technology-supported learning, such as Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) (Vanlehn, 2011) has shown promise in addressing diverse learning needs in LMICs. However, students in LMICs often don’t have access to home computers and the internet, though mobile phone usage is high (International Telecommunication Union 2022). The University of Ghana and Rising Academies, an educational network based in West Africa, seek to improve learning in primary and junior high schools in Ghana. Rising Academies has developed an AI-driven solution, 'Rori' to help children improve their math performance. Rori is a chat-based math tutor on WhatsApp, which can be accessed on affordable mobile phones. Rori has the potential to generate benefits for students living in poverty who cannot afford extra in-person tutorials. There are many possible avenues to using Rori as it does not require extensive bandwidth or large amounts of costly data, unlike platforms that provide video lessons. Building on encouraging results with students attending Rising Academy schools (Henkel et al., 2024), our proposed pilot will encompass a broader spectrum of schools (low-cost private schools and government-run public schools) to deepen the understanding of implementation challenges and intervention effectiveness. If Rori effectively improves math proficiency in all school types, it could support policy change and the widespread adoption of Rori, contributing to poverty reduction through enhanced educational outcomes. This pilot will also support the planning of a future RCT by helping us understand how to implement Rori in diverse contexts, ultimately contributing to developing scalable and sustainable solutions for improving educational outcomes in LMICs.