BBC Janala receives Tech Award for educational innovation
BBC Janala (‘Window’), which is teaching millions of people to learn English in Bangladesh using mobile phones, has been awarded a prestigious Microsoft Education Award at this year’s international Tech Awards in Silicon Valley, California.
The pioneering service impressed judges with its use of mobile technology to reach some of the poorest people in the country and offer a simple and affordable way to learn.
Launched 12 months ago by the BBC World Service Trust, BBC Janala provides daily three minute audio lessons to the 84% of the country who want improve their English language skills in order to get a better job and access the global economy. (1)
At a cost of just 50 paisa (half a pence) per minute, BBC Janala targets those living on less than £2 a day and has proved popular with over three and half million calls. (2)
Stuart Gannes, from the Tech Awards jury and former Director of Stanford University’s Digital Vision Program explains BBC Janala’s achievement:
“For years people have been trying to work out how to bridge the digital divide and use PCs to teach people in the developing world. This was a challenge with a lack of available computers and connectivity to data networks.
But while we were trying to duplicate our solution the world got connected via mobile phones. BBC Janala’s genius is it uses the existing cellular network to provide people with educational content rather than waiting for what we have in the developed world.”
There are additionally tens of millions watching a television drama and related learning game show BBC Janala – Mojay Mojay Shekha and a million more reading BBC Janala lessons in the leading national newspaper.
Such has been the impact of BBC Janala that many within the mobile and media industry are hopeful it could become a blueprint for other countries.
BBC Janala is part of English in Action, a major initiative launched to raise the language skills of 25 million people in Bangladesh by 2017, funded by the UK’s Department for International Development.
The Tech Awards celebrate the power of technology to address global challenges in the environment, economic development, education, equality and health.
This year resulted in more than 1,000 nominations with the final 15 laureates from regions as diverse as the Netherlands, Brazil, India, United Kingdom, Philippines and the United States.
Five of the laureates – including the BBC World Service Trust – were awarded $50,000 cash prizes during the formal gala at the Santa Clara Convention Centre before a crowd of more than 1,500 people, including Silicon Valley industry giants, philanthropists and political leaders.
Dan’l Lewin, Corporate Vice President for Microsoft said of the Educational Award:
“At Microsoft our mission is to help people and organizations recognize their full potential, with a strong focus on an educational foundation that everyone needs and deserves. This year’s laureates are using technology and new ways of learning to reach their full potential. We are humbled by their passion for education and we salute their contributions.”
Sara Chamberlain, Head of Interactive for the BBC World Service Trust, said:
“In Bangladesh, we have seen how technology – in particular mobile – can provide quality and affordable education to many millions of ordinary people, even if they are living on a few dollars a day. We hope BBC Janala can offer insight into how similar services can be established around the developing world.”
For more information on the Tech Awards and winning laureates please visit: http://www.techawards.org/pressroom
For further information, interviews or case studies please contact:
Damian Wilson at the BBC World Service Trust on +44 7970 981 940 or email damian.wilson@bbc.co.uk
(1) From a BBC World Service Trust 8,300 person baseline survey.
(2) Over half the target audience are from socio-economic group D, likely to live on a household income of less than 10,000 Taka (£100) a month.
The BBC World Service Trust is the BBC’s international development agency. It uses media and communications to reduce poverty, promote human rights and improve people’s lives. For further information visit www.bbcworldservicetrust.org
English in Action (EIA) is a nine-year English language education programme implemented through a partnership between the UK Government and the Government of Bangladesh. The goal of EIA is to contribute to the economic growth of Bangladesh by providing English language as a tool for better access to the world economy. EIA works to reach a total of 25 million primary and secondary students and adult learners through communicative language learning techniques and the use of ICT, textbooks and supplementary materials in an innovative way.
