Addressing the Learning Crisis: The Home as a Learning Space Initiative in India
Foundational Learning Case Study
About
India, like many countries globally, is facing a learning crisis. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, learning levels in reading and math were a nationwide concern. In 2017, the National Achievement Survey showed that half of children in primary school—nearly 50 million children—were not performing at grade level in reading and mathematics. The pandemic has further widened this gap, as prolonged school closures severely disrupted traditional classroom learning, particularly affecting younger primary students who were among the last to return to in-person classes.
Recognizing the crucial role of parents in children’s learning, UNICEF and Room to Read India (RtR) launched the Home as a Learning Space (HLS) initiative in 2021. This initiative aimed to support home-based learning during the pandemic and facilitate the transition back to school. The pilot programme reached over 30,000 children (approximately 25,000 families) from 529 schools in the states of Rajasthan and Jharkhand.
