Virtual Literacy Program

Our Virtual Literacy Program addresses the literacy gaps caused by Covid-19 for our 700 students at EFTC. When the Guatemalan government closed all schools in response to Covid-19, EFTC grew and adapted to provide virtual learning and support to our disadvantaged students who have little or no access to technology. Now in a hybrid model, the Virtual Literacy Program works to address the educational gaps for the 50% of time students are learning from home. The program uses a virtual literacy platform called Reading A-Z, which provides reading resources and tracks students’ reading levels and comprehension results. The program will also strengthen our virtual classes for our middle school students, providing tablets and internet for our most at-risk students. If scaled globally, reading resources would become more accessible and literacy levels would improve dramatically. 

The Virtual Literacy Program aims to address the educational gaps created by the pandemic for our 700 disadvantaged students. In Guatemala, 66% of the population live in extreme poverty. The students we support are otherwise unable to attend school due to the high costs of materials, uniforms, and transportation. Guatemala has the lowest literacy levels in Central America, with 80% of children never reaching high school. All of these issues have been exacerbated by the pandemic, as Guatemalan schools have been completely closed since March 2020. 

EFTC received special permission from the Guatemalan government to open June 1st as a hybrid model, but the damaging effects of the pandemic are clear. In 2020, 49.3% of students at the middle school level failed 2 or more of their 4 core academic classes during the final quarter. This is vastly different from 2019, where EFTC had a pass rate of 91.36%. Our hybrid model has already shown improvement in student grades and participation, but students still have 50% less in-person class time than before. The Virtual Literacy Program will enhance our ability to give classes both virtually and in person, which will aid in closing the education gap.

Our solution is to implement the Virtual Literacy Program to strengthen our hybrid model. The main element of the program is increased access to technology, specifically through Reading A-Z, tablets, and internet access. This program is used in schools around the world, providing teacher materials for reading instruction and testing. It tracks students’ reading levels, shows improvement, and offers interactive activities to increase comprehension. It is a classroom friendly platform that can also be used while students are learning from home. EFTC implemented Reading A-Z at a smaller scale four years ago and has seen an 18.4% increase in literacy levels. 

Additionally, to provide the necessary level of virtual classes, EFTC requires more tablets and internet. EFTC needs 15 more tablets in order for every middle school student to have their own. Since students do not have internet access in their homes, EFTC provides weekly data to ensure our students can connect. EFTC also needs increased internet access at the school itself, since it will be live streaming classes for students on days they learn from home. These technology solutions appear simple, but provide the necessary tools our students need to learn in the era of hybrid learning.

Education for the Children is a foundation that provides primary and secondary education to children and young adults from a disadvantaged community in Guatemala. Our solution serves almost 300 families, reaching about 700 students. The majority of our students live below the poverty line on less than $2 per day. The students we support are otherwise unable to attend school due to the high costs of materials, uniforms, and transportation. Last year, 60% of our families reported unemployment due to the pandemic. In terms of food security, Guatemala has the sixth highest rate of chronic malnutrition in the world. Last year, 88% of families reported they would be unable to feed their family without the extra support from EFTC. 

Our students and their families are actively involved in their education process, and this past year parents have become more involved than ever before. While students studied from home, family members came to school to deliver homework and ask questions on behalf of their children. Parents attended workshops on how to use tablets and internet, bringing digital literacy to a population that did not previously have access. EFTC uses telephone surveys to check in on families, and uses the results to make educational changes such as returning to hybrid. EFTC keeps parents and family members involved in their students’ education as much as possible.

EFTC's solution will engage our students as they return to school in a hybrid model. The Reading A-Z program allows students both remote and present to increase literacy levels in an interactive and sustainable way. Individual tablets and increased internet will make virtual classes more accessible and engaging for our students. It also allows teachers to be more creative in their classes, using different platforms and technology such as videos, breakout rooms, and interactive assignments. Parents are actively involved in the use of our students' tablets through workshops and monthly check-ins, bringing digital literacy to a new generation.

EFTC has worked with families in Jocotenango and the surrounding communities since 2003. Our solution is currently under its growth stage, as our hybrid model has already been implemented successfully. EFTC is looking to strengthen and grow the program to address the increased educational gaps of our students due to the pandemic.