Team Taleem: AI for Universal Literacy

Pakistan is facing an acute education emergency with the second-largest population of out-of-school children at the primary level. 26.2 million children are not receiving an education (UNICEF 2019) and with an adult literacy rate of 60%, one of the lowest in the region – every second woman and every third man in Pakistan cannot read nor write (http://uis.unesco.org).

The COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters have aggravated this situation with further limiting access to quality education and throwing many people out of the conventional school system, 32 million K–5 students affected by school closures in Pakistan (UNESCO 2020). The devastating floods of 2022 led to the closure of almost 18,000 schools across the country, further worsening the learning losses faced by the students.

Some significant challenges causing "Learning Poverty” and marginalizing learning outcomes with approximately 40 percent of fifth graders failing to perform at the second-grade level (DAWN 2019) include low enrollment rates, poor quality of education, lack of access for girls, shortage of qualified teachers, and inadequate infrastructure in schools. These issues contribute to a literacy rate below the global average, with 60 million uneducated individuals in Pakistan.

The inaccessibility of quality education poses significant barriers to socioeconomic and personal growth in a rapidly changing world and becoming increasingly digital, perpetuating the vicious cycle of inequality where the education gap prevents marginalized communities to grow out of this cycle of perpetual inequalities.

The issue at hand cannot be solved through traditional means and requires an innovative solution that provides equitable learning opportunities to all kinds of learners.

Enhancing Literacy through Immersive Gamified Learning

In response to the pressing need for accessible education in communities with low literacy rates, our initiative, Team Taleem, is committed to providing innovative and engaging learning opportunities for out-of-school children and women. By leveraging an immersive gamified learning approach, we aim to not only instill a love for learning but also empower learners to acquire knowledge through interactive games and engaging educational experiences.

Solution Overview

Team Taleem has a scalable model by collaborating with community partners who have direct access to marginalized communities such as slums and below poverty line areas. With their support, we bring learners in blended learning environment with trained facilitators overseeing up to 50 learners in two daily shifts. Learning is done offline to cater low internet connectivity, and limited connectivity is required for end of day syncing of learner progress and monitor learning outcomes.

Team Taleem Demo

Educational Approach

Our focus lies in providing functional literacy from kindergarten to Grade 2 within a year, an accelerated program enabling learners to cover three grades in a single year. This approach is particularly beneficial for children who have grown above the school going age and women who are balancing home responsibilities. The curriculum aligns with the national standards of teaching English, Urdu, and Math. The learning app has audio driven instructions in local language to support self-learning and to enhance comprehension and accessibility, addressing the challenge of limited English proficiency in remote areas.

Technology Implementation

The backbone of our solution is a Learning Management System (LMS) powered by Moodle, a leading open-source tool in the education sector. We have customized Moodle plugins to enhance interactivity and engagement within the platform. These plugins have been specifically designed to cater to the unique needs of our learners, including a plugin for teaching writing skills with detailed instructions on the direction and number of strokes for each alphabet and number.

User Interface

To ensure a seamless user experience, we have developed a user-friendly Android application as the front end of our platform.  This app works offline for learning so that no learning in disrupted and is optimized to work on low-cost Android tablets, making it accessible to a wide range of users in resource-constrained environments. In conclusion, Team Taleem's innovative approach to education, coupled with the strategic use of technology such as Moodle and custom plugins, is poised to make a significant impact on improving literacy rates among marginalized communities. Through our collaborative efforts and commitment to empowering learners, we aim to create a brighter future for all

Target Communities

TeeSquare is dedicated to addressing the educational needs of individuals who have been deprived of schooling opportunities at a young age. Our organization focuses on building foundational literacy skills for marginalized communities, including all kinds of learners cutting across age, gender, ethnic backgrounds and learner types. Our solution includes an immersive gaming literacy program that can engage all kinds of learners including neurodivergent learners because of the solution being visually attractive, works on a one to one basis, and is self-paced to cater to individual needs of the learners. 

Our organization caters to functionally marginalized individuals, with an emphasis on out-of-school children. We cater to adult women with a program specially tailored for them. TeeSquare addresses educational challenges prevalent in regions with inadequate teaching resources, substandard infrastructure, and pervasive poverty contributing to child labor, emphasizing the transformative power of education for the overall well-being and future prospects of these communities.

TeeSquare's Current Outreach

In the past two years, TeeSquare has positively impacted about 1000 learners, primarily in marginalized communities spread across Pakistan. These learners range from women and children living in urban slums to refugees, girls residing in hostels due to financial constraints, and even children forced into early labor; all missing out on crucial early years of education.
For instance our outreach efforts took us into the slums in Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, and Thatta, focusing on bridging educational disparities in communities with limited resources and opportunities. In Islamabad, we specifically support Afghan refugee children, offering them access to vocational training and pathways to improved economic prospects, thereby reducing their vulnerability to precarious situations like street scavenging.
In the outskirts of Multan and all the way to Mehran town in Karachi, both a densely populated urban slum, lacking basic amenities, we provide educational opportunities to children who would otherwise be excluded from schooling. In regions like Thatta, affected by natural disasters, we not only impart education but also serves as a means of mental health engagement for individuals coping with significant losses.
In conclusion, TeeSquare's educational outreach program is committed to breaking barriers to learning, empowering marginalized populations, and fostering a brighter future for those who have been historically underserved in the realm of education. We aim to use AI to bring literacy to every door and teach at the right level and transform lives so they have a better chance at tomorrow.

Our Community Partner, Jhuggi Taleemi Project

We want to extend Team Taleem to support neuro-diverse learners. The platform addresses their core needs

Visually attractive
Self-paced
One-to-one where the app talks to you alone
Repetitive: helps drill concepts and is conducive of learning methods suitable for neuro-divergent learners.
Numeracy: Difficult to teach Math concepts to neuro-divergent learners. Our solution uses precise audio instructions with simple visuals that make it easier. 
Literacy: Once a neurodiverse individual becomes literate, it can open up many avenues

Now, we need to add AI to teach at the right level to cater to individual learner needs. 

Team Taleem team has a distinctive advantage in delivering educational solutions owing to their profound engagement and comprehension of the target communities. The leadership of Zainab Hameed and Sadia epitomizes a diverse array of experiences and viewpoints that align closely with the demographic being served.

Zainab's adeptness in technical domains and her extensive involvement in social ventures, complemented by Sadia's expertise in human resources and organizational development, collectively contribute to a comprehensive strategy for addressing the educational requirements of marginalized populations.

Furthermore, our community partners close proximity to the communities plays a pivotal role in shaping the design and execution of Team Taleem, actively soliciting feedback from the learners themselves. This inclusive approach ensures that our educational solution is finely tailored to the specific needs and challenges faced by the community.

At pilot phase we had integrated the perspectives, suggestions, and priorities of the communities into the developmental framework, we aim to establish an educational program that not only resonates with the learners but also tackles the fundamental causes of educational disparities in a substantive and enduring manner.

We have a specialized resource dedicated to both community growth and outreach, comprising experienced professionals in their respective domains. In addition, we collaborate with technology and digital content partners, who are integral to our team and lend their expertise to bolster the solution's success. Together, we strive to empower underserved communities by providing foundational literacy and numeracy education through our innovative digital platform.

We have built and tested a gamified learning platform, which has successfully reached over 1000 learners from marginalized communities in Pakistan. These learners include out-of-school children from urban slums, underserved villages, Afghan refugees, and illiterate women from areas where female education is discouraged.

Our solution is designed to be highly adaptable and replicable, with a scalable model that can be easily implemented in various contexts. We have successfully implemented our platform in urban slums like Mehran town in Karachi, rural areas like Thatta, and among Afghan refugees in Islamabad. 

Our approach emphasizes community engagement, with active collaboration with and community partners. By incorporating the communities' input, ideas, and agendas, we ensure that our solution is tailored to their specific needs and challenges.

In summary, TeeSquare's accomplishments so far include the development and implementation of a successful gamified learning platform, serving over 1000 learners from marginalized communities in Pakistan.

Through our efforts, we have successfully trained a significant number of facilitators (35) to oversee and support our educational programs. As a result, nearly 60 learners have completed our Team Taleem program. Moreover, we are proud to share that majority graduates have enrolled in mainstream school and10% women have secured employment opportunities due to their newly acquired ability to read and write basic Urdu, marking a significant milestone in their personal and professional growth.

Our collaborative approach has led to the establishment of partnerships with 7 esteemed organizations, including a multinational corporation and several renowned local and international NGOs. These strategic partnerships not only strengthen our capacity to deliver high-quality education but also contribute to our collective impact in empowering marginalized communities and bridging the educational divide.

Applying for the MIT SOLVE Global Learning Challenge offers a distinctive opportunity for TeeSquare to spearhead a paradigm shift in educational practices. Emerging victorious in this prestigious challenge would empower TeeSquare to address the pressing educational demands of 22.8 million out-of-school children in Pakistan. Moreover, it would enable the customization of learning pathways tailored to the unique requirements of marginalized communities and individuals with disabilities leveraging AI enabled solutions, thereby fostering a more inclusive and equitable educational landscape.

Securing victory in the MIT SOLVE Challenge would enable TeeSquare to channel resources into the enhancement of Team Taleem, leveraging cutting-edge AI-enabled solutions to revolutionize foundational learning across diverse demographics. By harnessing innovative technologies and personalized methodologies, TeeSquare endeavors to narrow educational disparities, uplift marginalized populations, and cultivate a more accessible, inclusive and equitable educational milieu.

The advantages of triumphing in the MIT SOLVE Challenge for TeeSquare are manifold and far-reaching:

Access to MIT's Esteemed Network

This collaboration would offer unparalleled expertise not readily available in regions like Pakistan, propelling TeeSquare to the forefront of educational technology innovation. We look forward to accessing MIT's esteemed network, providing invaluable support in integrating AI technologies into its educational solutions. 

 Implementation of AI-Driven Tools for Literacy Enhancement

The financial resources garnered through winning the challenge would be sensibly utilized by TeeSquare to implement AI-driven solutions aimed at enhancing foundataional literacy levels. Through the integration of AI tools, we can cater to individual learning needs, deliver impactful instruction, and enhance learning outcomes for all students.

Unparalleled Brand Equity and Credibility

One of the paramount advantages of the MIT SOLVE platform lies in its unparalleled brand equity, a potent asset that can catalyze transformative solutions akin to Team Taleem. This intangible asset not only garners international recognition but also enhances TeeSquare's credibility, propelling its initiatives to new heights of success and impact within the global education technology landscape.

In conclusion, the MIT SOLVE Global Learning Challenge represents a gateway for us to revolutionize education, empower marginalized communities, and foster inclusivity through innovative AI-driven solutions. By leveraging the advantages offered by this esteemed platform, TeeSquare can position itself as a trailblazer in the edtech industry, driving positive change and creating a more equitable and accessible educational ecosystem for all.

Innovative Aspects of Our Solution:

• Offline Functionality: The application operates offline, ensuring accessibility in marginalized areas with limited connectivity.
• Structured Curriculum: The curriculum is designed for daily lessons and accelerated, facilitating efficient learning progression.
• Digital Pedagogy: Lessons are transformed into byte-sized digital formats, enhancing engagement and comprehension.
• Audio-Driven Instructions: Audio-based guidance offers inclusive learning experiences, catering to diverse learning styles.
• Self-Learning: The platform enables autonomous learning with instant feedback without the need for constant teacher intervention.
• Scalability: The solution is designed for widespread access, allowing learning anytime, anywhere.
• Cost-Effective Andriod App: Developed for low-cost tablets, ensuring affordability and widespread adoption.
• Flexibility and Adaptability: The platform architecture is highly flexible, accommodating additional courses, languages, and curriculum extensions to meet diverse educational needs.
• Literacy for Older Learners: Providing education for individuals beyond traditional school age, addressing gaps in educational access.
• Affordability and Monitoring: Priced at $150 per learner for a year, with a focus on monitoring learning outcomes for continuous improvement.

Our solution addresses key educational challenges in developing countries, such as the lack of quality teachers, language barriers, no school enrolls learner after 8 years of age and limited feedback mechanisms. By offering scalable, adaptable, and accessible learning opportunities for both children and adults, our platform aims to revolutionize traditional education models and promote inclusive, personalized learning experiences. This innovative approach has the potential to transform the educational landscape, bridging gaps in literacy, vocational training, and educational accessibility in underserved communities.

Theory of Change:

 The activities that the learner would be engaged in is using a self-learning, gamified app to learn English, Urdu literacy skills and numeracy skills. The learner will be engaged for a period of almost a year, divided into three terms, by the combination short video lessons and interactive digitals worksheets, helping the learner build concepts and preparing them for the next term. Each term has more complex concepts than the previous leading to be class 3 ready once the learner completes the program. 

 The expected output is :

• Developing skills of listening, reading and writing of English, Urdu and Mathematics.
• Navigate self-learning app.

The short-term outcomes are:

• Develop literacy and numeracy skills of learners.
• Sense of achievement.
• Excitement at being exposed to technology - mostly first time in their life.
• For adult women the solution provides them with a learning opportunity in their personal learning space, making them confident.

The medium-term outcomes are:

• Increased knowledge of languages and other topics.
• Positive attitudes towards self-learning, skill and self-development.
• Ability to comprehend situations in which they have to use written and spoken language with better comprehension like reading and paying bills, responding to text messages.

The long-term outcomes are:

• Options to continue formal education or continue with informal education and skill development. 
• From a culture of ‘who will help me learn’ to ‘self-evaluation of what I want to learn and I can find it and learn’.
• Meaningful changes in learners lives that benefit individual learners and society.
• Helping other children in the family with studying.
• Have better self-esteem and become contributors to family income leading to alleviating poverty.
• This would ignite an educational revolution that helps the entire family step into technology-led collaborative learning.

TeeSquare's impact goals for its solution are centered on providing accessible, high-quality education to marginalized communities, particularly out-of-school children and women, through a gamified learning platform.

Impact Goals:

1.  Improving economic well-being through education: Our solution aims to empower individuals, particularly those from marginalized communities, by providing them with quality education that can enhance their economic opportunities and break the cycle of poverty

2.  Bridging the socio-economic divide through education: We aim to reduce the educational divide by providing access to quality education for children aged 5 to 16 who have never attended school or have dropped out early, ultimately contributing to the reduction of socio-economic disparities.

3.  Empowering women through education: We aim to educate adult women, providing them with the necessary skills, confidence, and economic empowerment to improve their lives and the lives of their families

4.  Inclusive education for differently-abled individuals: Through our proposed AI-driven solution, we aim to provide personalized education to differently-abled individuals, ensuring they receive education at the right level

 Measuring Progress:

1.  Weekly, monthly, and end-of-term progress tracking: We continuously monitor the progress of our learners, tracking their improvement in literacy and numeracy skills, as well as their overall educational development

2.  Mid-term evaluations: In addition to weekly and monthly tracking, we conduct mid-term evaluations to assess the effectiveness of our solution and identify areas for improvement

3.  Specific indicators: We measure our progress using specific indicators, such as the number of learners enrolled, the percentage of learners who complete the program, and the improvement in literacy and numeracy skills among learners

4.  Community impact: We also assess the impact of our solution in underserved communities, including urban slums, rural areas, and among marginalized groups, to ensure our solution is effectively addressing their educational needs

The core technology that powers TeeSquare's solution is app and platform development. The technology also includes the use of enterprise-class tools and standardized services to ensure the optimal pricing and reduce problem-solving time. The team's expertise in these technologies allows for the creation of a robust and scalable platform 

Voice Driven Instruction:

The core technology driving our solution is a personalized gamified app which gives user experience that revolutionizes the teaching process at an individual level. This innovative approach facilitates interactive engagement between the application and the learner through voice-driven instructions, catering specifically to individuals who face challenges in reading. By integrating with a Learning Management System (LMS), we ensure comprehensive monitoring of progress and performance, enabling tailored support and feedback for each learner.

Worksheet: Select correct sound

Works Offline:

One of the key technological features of our solution is its offline capability, allowing it to function effectively in marginalized areas with limited infrastructure. This offline technology ensures accessibility and continuity of learning in challenging environments where connectivity may be unreliable or unavailable.

Additionally, we have established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for training facilitators and community partners, ensuring consistent and effective implementation of the program.

Transparent Dashboard:

Our solution emphasizes detailed monitoring mechanisms, enabling in-depth tracking of learner progress and program effectiveness. Through a transparent dashboard, stakeholders have real-time visibility into the impact and outcomes of the educational initiatives, promoting accountability and informed decision-making. This comprehensive technological framework not only enhances the learning experience but also facilitates efficient management and evaluation of the educational program's impact with a focus on transparency.

Our team consists of 9 full-time members, including 2 co-founders, who are dedicated to driving the core aspects of our solution.

Digital content: 2 full time, 4 part time
Academic team: 2 part time
Community growth/social media: 2 full time staff, 1 part time Community outreach: 2 full time, 30+ supervisors on-ground
Administration: 1 full time
Audio Artists: 3 part time
Testing: 3 part time
Technology partner: 6 part time

Lastly, we have established a strategic partnership with Genetech who contribute to our overall growth and sustainability. This well-rounded team structure allows us to effectively address various aspects of our solution.

 Our Team 

5+ years
2017 – 2019: Platform develop
2020 – 2021: Pilots and content development
2022-2024: Scaling/increasing learning centers 

 Beginning in 2017, we focused on platform development, establishing the core features. From 2020 to 2021, we refined content through pilots for learner effectiveness. Currently, from 2022 to 2024, we are focusing to scale operations and expand learning centers to increase community impact. This ongoing commitment underscores our dedication to providing quality education to marginalized communities, believing in the transformative power of our approach.

At our organization, we are deeply committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in all aspects of our work. Our leadership team, which is led by women, embodies these values and strives to create a work environment that is welcoming, respectful, and supportive for all team members.

We capitalize on local skills and resources and have established strong partnerships with business partners and freelancers from local communities, further enhancing our DEI efforts. To accommodate diverse backgrounds and lifestyles, we have embraced remote work since our inception, providing flexibility to our teams and enabling them to strike a balance between their professional and personal lives.

Our team is not only gender-diverse but also strives for gender balance in our deployments and classrooms. Our leadership team is gender-balanced, and the majority of our on-ground teachers and facilitators are female. This commitment to gender diversity extends to all aspects of our organization, as we actively aim to maintain a gender-balanced workforce.

We believe that a diverse, equitable, and inclusive team is essential to achieving our mission of providing accessible, high-quality education to marginalized communities. 

TeeSquare's business model focuses on providing functional literacy to out-of-school children and adult women in marginalized communities in Pakistan through collaboration with community partners. This model aims to empower individuals by enhancing their literacy skills and helping them achieve important life goals. The following overview details TeeSquare's business model, highlighting its various aspects and significant impact.

Value Proposition

• TeeSquare's value proposition focuses on providing functional literacy to marginalized communities, enabling essential skills for personal and professional growth.
• This is achieved through a gamified app designed for self-directed learning within a blended setup, making education accessible and engaging.
• Strategic alliances with community partners ensure education reaches the most underserved, creating a transformative impact at the grassroots level.

Key Customers and Beneficiaries:

• Community partners engaging with TeeSquare's tailored educational offerings for marginalized demographics, dedicated to enhancing education in Pakistan.
• Beneficiaries are out-of-school children and adult women participating in TeeSquare's functional literacy programs, empowering them for significant life transitions.

Revenue Model:

• Revenue comes from subscriptions paid by community partners for educational services for beneficiaries in their supported communities.
• Individual sponsors, including expatriate Pakistanis, contribute to the platform, driven by a passion to support educational initiatives in Pakistan and drive grassroots transformation.

 Product and Service Offerings:

• TeeSquare offers Team Taleem, a functional literacy program using a gamified app for self-paced learning in a blended environment.
• Educational services focus on essential skills and knowledge to enhance learners' personal and professional growth.

Delivery Mechanism:

• TeeSquare's gamified app enables self-directed learning at the learner's own pace.
• Blended learning includes facilitators guiding learners through the curriculum, ensuring understanding and application.

Impact:

• TeeSquare's business model focuses on uplifting marginalized communities through functional literacy programs.
• These programs enable individuals to overcome barriers, pursue advanced education or vocation, and contribute meaningfully to society.

By harmonizing its business model with the noble mission of empowering marginalized communities through education, TeeSquare engenders a sustainable and transformative approach to redressing educational inequities prevalent in Pakistan, thereby heralding a new dawn of educational inclusivity and empowerment.

TeeSquare's financial sustainability plan involves a combination of strategies,including:

• Subscription model: TeeSquare has a subscription model in place, where community partners pays for subscription and the learning kit, comprising of tablet with app, headphones, charger and stylus.
• Sponsorship: TeeSquare receives ongoing sponsorships from various sources, which help support its operations. These include individuals or corporates who support using their CSR funds
• Community partner grants: When a community partner wins a grant, TeeSquare can benefit from the funding, as it can be used to support the educational programs and services provided to the community.
• Partnerships: TeeSquare is in the process of establishing partnerships with organizations that have a larger network, which can help leverage its reach and impact.

Examples of successful financial achievements include:

• TeeSquare has successfully started the second cohort of its adult literacy program in collaboration with SEED Ventures, and a local NGO, the Fahmida Begum Foundation in Mehran Town. This partnership has enabled 30 women to enroll in the program, which is supported by The COSARAF Charitable Foundation.
• TeeSquare's collaborations with community partners and organizations have significantly contributed to its growth and impact. Recent partnership highlights include:
  • Unilever Pakistan: Empowering 50 women at the Thatta model village, a community established for flood victims. 
  • Cybernet and Korangi Association of Trader & Industry (KATI): Sponsored learners at current centers and committed to sponsoring upcoming projects.

These strategic alliances not only strengthen TeeSquare's capacity to deliver high-quality education but also expand its reach and impact in marginalized communities.