Taleemabad
Basic Information
Overview
Taleemabad (founder Haroon Yasin, HQ Lahore) pairs a curriculum-aligned animation series with an AI teacher-coaching platform, moving from low-cost private schools into large government deployments across 6 countries. The stack has four parts: an animation series (mascots Pinky & Jojo) delivered via app, TV, and a toll-free phone line ("Parhai On Call") for learners without devices or internet; structured lesson plans; Rumi, a WhatsApp-based AI coaching tool that gives teachers real-time feedback from classroom audio; and a school-management platform. Recognized by UNESCO, EdTech Hub, MIT Solve, the Malala Fund, and 100x Impact. Scope highlights: Islamabad — all 422 FDE public schools (Sept 2024), ~90,000 students and ~4,000 teachers; Balochistan — 60 schools, 800 teachers, 8,000 students (research deployment); Punjab — government committed to 6,000 schools, 479 live as of Feb 2026; Rawalpindi longitudinal study — 261 schools, ~37,000 students, launched April 2026 (results pending); Rumi AI coaching — live across 6 countries, ~2,000 teachers, 163 schools.
Intervention type
Founded
Headquarters
Website
Evidence base
Balochistan 4-arm RCT (DIME/World Bank, n=1,230, grades 2–3): Urdu +0.23 SD, Math +0.11 SD. Islamabad NIETE quasi-experimental (422 schools / ~90K students): ~0.28 SD composite, ~0.8 LAYS; Urdu grade-level reading 35% → 56%. Low-cost private schools DID (66 schools): Urdu +0.50 SD, English +0.35 SD, Math not significant. · Pakistan government and low-cost private schools (Balochistan, Islamabad, Punjab) — mixed RCT, quasi-experimental, and difference-in-differences evidence
Current & Planned Impact
Direct / measured reach
152,815
Pakistan school-based programs — the figure with evidence behind it. Reported separately from broadcast reach.
Broadcast reach
10,000,000+
Pinky & Jojo animation series via TV, app, and toll-free phone. Broadcast reach, not a measured learning cohort — never combined with direct reach.
Learning gains
+0.23 SD
Urdu, Balochistan 4-arm RCT (grades 2–3); Math +0.11 SD. Islamabad NIETE study: ~0.28 SD composite, ~0.8 LAYS
World Bank DIME RCT (n=1,230) · EdTech Hub NIETE evaluation (2024)
Cost / learner / yr
~$3
2026 Rawalpindi government-AEO + AI model, per child per year; results not yet in.
Cost-effectiveness comparison
| Approach | Cost | Effect size |
|---|---|---|
| Taleemabad teacher certification | $50–100 / teacher | 0.46 SD |
| Typical teacher workshops | $100–300 | 0.21 SD |
| Instructional coaching | $2,000–5,000 | 0.49 SD |
| Class-size reduction | $5,000–10,000 | 0.20 SD |
Caveat: Two reach figures are reported separately and are deliberately not combined: 152,815 direct/measured reach across Pakistan school-based programs (the figure with evidence behind it), and 10,000,000+ broadcast/animation reach for Pinky & Jojo via TV, app, and phone. Broadcast reach is not a measured learning cohort and no learning outcomes have been assessed for it, so the two should not be added together. Six countries across three continents in total; Middle East pilots (Qatar, Yemen, Palestine) are not confirmed enough to list.
Evidence & Learning Gains
Balochistan 4-arm RCT
DIME / World Bank · n=1,230 · grades 2–3 · RCT
- •Urdu +0.23 SD
- •Math +0.11 SD
Islamabad NIETE study
422 schools / ~90,000 students · Quasi-experimental
- •~0.28 SD composite, ~0.8 LAYS
- •Urdu grade-level reading 35% → 56%
Low-cost private schools
66 schools · Difference-in-differences
- •Urdu +0.50 SD
- •English +0.35 SD
- •Math not significant
Animation series (Pinky & Jojo)
TV, app, and toll-free phone · Broadcast only
- •10M+ reach claimed
- •No learning outcomes measured — broadcast reach, not a measured cohort
Caveat: Evidence is mixed across RCT, quasi-experimental, and difference-in-differences designs; the overall rating shown on this page reflects the strongest design (RCT). The 2026 Rawalpindi longitudinal study (261 schools, ~37,000 students) is underway and its results are not yet in.