New IDinsight RCT Reveals the Luminos Program’s Lasting Positive Impact on Vulnerable Children in Liberia
The Luminos Fund is excited to share groundbreaking new data from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) on our accelerated learning program in Liberia.
Conducted by IDinsight, this study followed Luminos students one year after completing our program as they advanced into government schools, and is ‘Part 2’ of IDinsight’s original 2022-23 RCT (tracking Luminos student progress throughout the 2022-23 school year). Remarkably, one year after completing the Luminos program, graduates were able to read 34 words per minute (WPM) compared to 15 WPM for children in the control group, underscoring the power of the Luminos program to deliver durable learning gains for vulnerable, previously out-of-school children in one of the most challenging education environments in the world. Additionally, government schoolteachers reported that Luminos graduates excelled in socio-emotional skills such as confidence, resilience, and expressiveness.
This latest report is further evidence of the long-term impact of the Luminos program, building on a previous longitudinal study that demonstrated Luminos graduates successfully continued their education in government schools for as many as six years after completing the program.
Key Findings:
1. One year after completing the Luminos program, Luminos graduates in government schools maintained a substantial reading advantage, with an average oral reading fluency score of 34 WPM compared to 15 WPM for children in the control group.
In more advanced tasks, such as passage reading, Luminos graduates read 29 words, while children in the control group read 12 words. Similarly, in word recognition, Luminos graduates read 27 familiar words per minute compared to 10 words for children in the control group.
2. 75% of Luminos graduates persisted in school one year after our program.
This achievement highlights the Luminos program’s profound, enduring impact on helping vulnerable, previously out-of-school children in Liberia stay enrolled in school and continue their education.
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3. 73% of teachers stated that Luminos graduates had better reading ability than other students.
Teachers reported that Luminos graduates outperformed children who have been in school from Grade 1, particularly in reading ability, attendance, and socio-emotional skills such as confidence, resilience, and expressiveness.
Looking ahead:
As Luminos continues its mission to ensure all children have equal access to joyful, foundational learning — especially those shut out of education by crisis, poverty, or discrimination — this latest IDinsight RCT study reinforces the long-term impact of our accelerated learning program in Liberia and our commitment to ensuring transformative learning outcomes for the most vulnerable children everywhere.
Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Cartier Philanthropy, Echidna Giving, Legatum, The LEGO Foundation, Mulago Foundation, Pousaz Philanthropies, UBS Optimus Foundation, USAID, and others, we are able to advance our education mission. We are grateful to our global community of supporters, partners, and advisors for joining us on this journey.
To read the full study, click here.
To learn more about the Luminos program in Liberia, click here.
This study is made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of the Luminos Fund and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.
