HAITI: Can Smartphones Make Schools Better?
- The smartphone-based monitoring program faced significant implementation challenges.
- Technical difficulties hindered the use of the technology by school directors and inspectors.
- The program had no impact on teacher absenteeism or student learning outcomes.
- Teacher absenteeism rates in Haiti were lower than expected.
- Technology alone cannot solve complex educational challenges.
This policy note discusses a World Bank-led evaluation of a pilot program in Haiti that aimed to improve school monitoring using smartphone technology. The program provided school directors with smartphones to take daily photos of teachers and upload them to a central server. The goal was to improve teacher accountability and provide school inspectors with real-time data. However, the program faced numerous challenges, including technical difficulties, administrative delays, and lack of teacher buy-in. As a result, the program had no significant impact on teacher absenteeism or student learning outcomes, highlighting the limitations of technology-based solutions in contexts with limited infrastructure and complex social dynamics.
How to cite
World Bank; Strategic Impact Evaluation Fund, 2015, HAITI: Can Smartphones Make Schools Better?, accessed via HaitiDocs, https://www.haitidocs.org/doc/wb-2015-haiti-can-smartphones-make-schools