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Nudging at Scale: Evidence from a Government Text Messaging Campaign during School Shutdowns in Punjab, Pakistan. Policy Research Working Paper 11286

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Title: Nudging at Scale: Evidence from a Government Text Messaging Campaign during School Shutdowns in Punjab, Pakistan. Policy Research Working Paper 11286
Language: English
Authors: Koen Geven, Ayesha Tahir, Tazeen Fasih, Javaeria Qureshi, Amer Hasan, Sheena Fazili, Rabea Malik, Kevin MacDonald, World Bank
Source: World Bank. 2026.
Availability: World Bank Publications. 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433. Tel: 202-458-4500; Fax: 202-552-1500; Web site: http://www.worldbank.org/
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 36
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools
Middle Schools
Secondary Education
Elementary Education
Grade 5
Intermediate Grades
Grade 6
Grade 7
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, COVID-19, Pandemics, School Closing, Middle School Students, Females, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Organizational Communication, Telecommunications, Written Language, Handheld Devices, Government School Relationship, Language Usage, Prompting, Program Effectiveness, Enrollment
Geographic Terms: Pakistan
Abstract: Text and voice messages have emerged as a low-cost and popular tool for nudging recipients to change behavior. This paper presents findings from a randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the impact of an information campaign using text and voice messages implemented in Punjab, Pakistan during the COVID-19-induced school closures. This campaign sought to increase study time and provide academic support while schools were closed and to encourage reenrollment when they opened, to reduce the number of dropouts. The campaign targeted girls enrolled in grades 5 to 7. Messages were sent out by a government institution, and the campaign lasted from October 2020 until November 2021, when schools had permanently re-opened. Households were randomized across three treatment groups and a control group that did not receive any messages. The first treatment group received gender-specific messages that explicitly referenced daughters in their households, and the second treatment group received gender-neutral messages. A third group was cross randomized across the first two treatment arms and received academic support messages (practice math problems and solutions). The results show that the messages increased reenrollment by 6.0 percentage points approximately three months after the intervention finished. Gender neutral messages (+8.9 percentage points) showed larger effect size on enrolment than gender-specific messages (+4.3 percentage points), although the difference is not statistically significant. The message program also increased learning outcomes by 0.2 standard deviation for Urdu and 0.2 standard deviation for math. The paper finds a small positive effect on the intensive margin of remote learning and an (equivalent) small negative effect on the intensive margin of outside tutoring. In line with similar studies on pandemic remediation efforts, the paper finds no effect of the academic support intervention on learning. The findings suggest that increased school enrollment played a role in supporting the observed increase in learning outcomes.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED679755
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Nudging at Scale: Evidence from a Government Text Messaging Campaign during School Shutdowns in Punjab, Pakistan. Policy Research Working Paper 11286
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Koen+Geven%22">Koen Geven</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ayesha+Tahir%22">Ayesha Tahir</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tazeen+Fasih%22">Tazeen Fasih</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Javaeria+Qureshi%22">Javaeria Qureshi</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Amer+Hasan%22">Amer Hasan</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sheena+Fazili%22">Sheena Fazili</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rabea+Malik%22">Rabea Malik</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kevin+MacDonald%22">Kevin MacDonald</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22World+Bank%22">World Bank</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22World+Bank%22"><i>World Bank</i></searchLink>. 2026.
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  Data: World Bank Publications. 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433. Tel: 202-458-4500; Fax: 202-552-1500; Web site: http://www.worldbank.org/
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Reports - Research
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  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pakistan%22">Pakistan</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Text and voice messages have emerged as a low-cost and popular tool for nudging recipients to change behavior. This paper presents findings from a randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the impact of an information campaign using text and voice messages implemented in Punjab, Pakistan during the COVID-19-induced school closures. This campaign sought to increase study time and provide academic support while schools were closed and to encourage reenrollment when they opened, to reduce the number of dropouts. The campaign targeted girls enrolled in grades 5 to 7. Messages were sent out by a government institution, and the campaign lasted from October 2020 until November 2021, when schools had permanently re-opened. Households were randomized across three treatment groups and a control group that did not receive any messages. The first treatment group received gender-specific messages that explicitly referenced daughters in their households, and the second treatment group received gender-neutral messages. A third group was cross randomized across the first two treatment arms and received academic support messages (practice math problems and solutions). The results show that the messages increased reenrollment by 6.0 percentage points approximately three months after the intervention finished. Gender neutral messages (+8.9 percentage points) showed larger effect size on enrolment than gender-specific messages (+4.3 percentage points), although the difference is not statistically significant. The message program also increased learning outcomes by 0.2 standard deviation for Urdu and 0.2 standard deviation for math. The paper finds a small positive effect on the intensive margin of remote learning and an (equivalent) small negative effect on the intensive margin of outside tutoring. In line with similar studies on pandemic remediation efforts, the paper finds no effect of the academic support intervention on learning. The findings suggest that increased school enrollment played a role in supporting the observed increase in learning outcomes.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: ED679755
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED679755
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    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 36
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: COVID-19
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pandemics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Closing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Middle School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Females
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 5
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 6
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 7
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      – SubjectFull: Organizational Communication
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      – SubjectFull: Telecommunications
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      – SubjectFull: Written Language
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Handheld Devices
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      – SubjectFull: Government School Relationship
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      – SubjectFull: Language Usage
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      – SubjectFull: Prompting
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      – SubjectFull: Program Effectiveness
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      – SubjectFull: Enrollment
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      – SubjectFull: Pakistan
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