The Covid-19 pandemic closed schools across the globe and forced 1.6 billion children out of school. Where connectivity permits, traditional instruction has moved online. However, in many contexts, access to the internet is not sufficiently widespread to make this a viable strategy. Fortunately, there are other technologies that are more accessible, even in low-resource settings, for delivering distance learning. This guide focuses on one of the most important: radio.

The purpose of this guide is to provide detailed guidance on how to reach children out of school through radio lessons and complementary SMS. We draw on our own experience in supporting governments and other partners with radio-based distance learning during the Covid-19 pandemic.

If Covid-19 has taught us anything, it is that there is no substitute for great teachers and great schools. A recent report from Save the Children (it surveyed 8,000 children in 37 countries) found that 8 out of 10 children learned little to nothing throughout the crisis.

But when in-person teaching becomes impossible, we need to find and deploy the best available alternatives — as quickly as possible. Through this guide, we hope to give partners, whether they are still struggling with the best way to support their students during Covid-19 or already looking ahead to the next crisis, the best possible head start.