Baseline assessment of school readiness: Exploring the potential for a play-based child-to-child approach in low-resource contexts in Pakistan
Document Type
Article
Department
Institute for Educational Development, Karachi
Abstract
Play-based learning (PBL) and Child-to-Child (C2C) approaches have been widely recognised for fostering literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional development. However, discussion on C2C integration within low-resource educational contexts remains limited. In Pakistan, early childhood classrooms continue to be dominated by rote instruction, leaving foundational learning gaps insufficiently addressed. This study presents baseline findings from the Pakistan arm of a regional initiative evaluating a Play-Based Child-to-Child (PBC2C) model that integrates peer-led and guided play pedagogies. Using a mixed-methods sequential cohort design, data were collected from pre-primary students (n=144), mothers (n=5), and teachers (n= 5) across urban (Karachi) and rural (Chitral) parts of the country. Baseline assessments revealed generally low literacy and numeracy outcomes. Overall, students in both rural and urban regions performed equally. However, subject-wise results revealed some variation. English literacy and numeracy showed significant differences across both regions, with the former subject having an edge in the rural setting while the latter scored higher in the urban context. Focus group discussions indicated that mothers valued foundational academic skills and expressed trust in schools, yet demonstrated hesitation toward play-based methods. Teachers were receptive to adopting a facilitator role within the PBC2C model but emphasised the need for additional support, sustained mentoring, and monitoring. These findings underscore the urgency of addressing foundational learning deficits in Pakistan and highlight the potential of the PBC2C model as a scalable and contextually responsive innovation.
Publication (Name of Journal)
Journal of Education & Social Sciences
DOI
10.20547/jess1412614103
Recommended Citation
Shakeel, N.,
Khalid, F.,
Nawab, R.,
Khan, A. W.,
Shareefa, M.,
Karim, Z.
(2026). Baseline assessment of school readiness: Exploring the potential for a play-based child-to-child approach in low-resource contexts in Pakistan. Journal of Education & Social Sciences, 14(1).
Available at:
https://ecommons.aku.edu/pakistan_ied_pdck/378
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.