Joyful Learning? The Effects of a School Intervention on Learning Outcomes in Karnataka

We study the effect of a novel schooling intervention, known as Nali Kali, in the state of Karnataka in India targeted at government schools in rural areas, and especially at children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds. We use a rich primary data-set of a sample of school-going children who were exposed to Nali Kali teaching by a set of teachers trained in Nali Kali methods by the state education department. We find support for the positive effects of the Nali Kali programme on learning outcomes. Our study provides suggestive evidence that schooling interventions of the government that are well-designed and that have the confidence of the teachers who implement these interventions can work in positively impacting on learning outcomes of poor rural children, including those from socially disadvantaged backgrounds.