The spread of mobile phone service into rural areas of Papua New
Guinea (PNG) in recent years has created a new means of supporting
workers based in such locations. The innovative SMS Story project is a
controlled trial in which teachers at elementary schools receive
resources through mobile phone text messages. These resources include
daily short stories and complementary lesson plans designed to enhance
the teaching of reading to students. This paper provides initial findings
from the earliest stages of the project, including a baseline reading
assessment of 2,478 students and visits to schools. As well as the early
results, the paper shares lessons learnt about the implementation of SMS
Story. It also posits possible additional uses of mobile phones which
may be beneficial in the education sector in PNG.