Senf Broadcasting Programs

• In Event: Adapting Distance Education in Resources Constrained Contexts: Lessons from a Multimedia Distance Science Education Project for Girls in Afghanistan

Proposal

MOBY/Lapis’ distance education program design was driven by the need to address both content and media components effectively. Content involved learning objectives, developmental and contextual appropriateness, effective teaching materials, and pedagogical strategies—familiar areas to educators and researchers. Media encompassed various educational technologies used for asynchronous and synchronous learning, including television, radio, the internet, and SMS. Unlike traditional face-to-face delivery, distance education relies on a broad range of educational technologies, often requiring specialists who may not be educators. Thus, integrating these components is crucial for ensuring effective and smooth teaching and learning.
Senf (Classroom) is a multi-media learning approach to support out-of-school girls and Afghanistan’s largest remote education program. Launched in 2022 and supported by UNICEF, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, Senf provides high-quality, innovative educational content through TV, radio, internet, interactive online platforms, and personal tutoring, helping millions of children, especially girls, access learning and overcome barriers to education.
The initiative focuses on delivering high-quality educational content and ensuring wide-reaching engagement through innovative platforms and research-based interventions.
We have produced and curated 720 original educational episodes in Chemistry, Biology, Physics, and Math, for grades 7 to 9. These programs are fully aligned with Afghanistan’s national curriculum and are available in both Dari and Pashto, with female and male teachers and students on screen. Additionally, through our Innovative Content Development Lab, we have curated and adapted top-tier educational content from around the globe, including more than 1,500 videos from Khan Academy. This ensures that students have access to world-class resources that complement their learning.
In terms of reach, a GeoPoll media survey estimates that our program, Senf, has reached approximately 11.2 million people via television and 6.6 million via radio, providing broad access to educational programming. Engagement on social media has been substantial, with Senf reaching an impressive 47 million people. we have also launched the Learning Passport, an interactive digital platform that hosts thousands of educational videos, assessments, and other learning tools. This platform allows students to not only learn but also track their academic progress.
In collaboration with New York University (NYU) and UNICEF Innocenti, we are also conducting research to assess the impact of our programs on both academic performance and social-emotional learning.
In Phase II, we will build on the achievements of Phase I by significantly expanding both the reach and accessibility of our educational content.
We plan to produce and broadcast 1,230 new episodes of original educational programs in Chemistry, Biology, Physics, and Math for grades 10 to 12, as well as introduce new programs in Geography and History, all aligned with the national curriculum. Additionally, we will create catch-up lessons in numeracy and literacy to support out-of-school students in bridging educational gaps.
A new edutainment science series will also be produced, and we will launch a dedicated satellite education channel, which will feature Senf content alongside high-quality educational series from around the world, adapted to Dari and Pashto.

Authors

• Ahmad Shaheer Shahriar, Lapis Middle East & A

• Dana Burde, New York University

• Heddy Lahmann, New York University

• Abdul Hamid Hatsaandh, New York University

• Hamidullah Gharibzada, New York University

• Mohammad Jawed Nazari, New York University

• Rena Deitz, New York University