@misc{37945,
title = {Intercultural Bilingual Education and Early Childhood Mathematics Learning: RCT Evidence from the Mate Raymi Program in Quechua Chanka Schools in Peru},
author = {Näslund-Hadley, Emma and Hernández Agramonte, Juan Manuel and Santos Morales, Humberto and Galindo Vivanco, Marcelino},
editor = {Kennedy, Steven},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.18235/0014005},
abstract = {This  article  presents  an  evaluation  of Mate  Raymi,  an  educational  program  designed  to strengthen mathematical and ethnomathematical skills among preschool children in Peru. Implemented  through  audio  lessons  and  complemented  with  contextualized  materials, teacher training, and pedagogical support, the program was evaluated using a randomized controlled trial in 350 rural intercultural bilingual education (IBE) schools. Results show that  both  versions  of  the  programbilingual  and  intercultural  bilingualhad  positive effects  on  ethnomathematical  skills  and  on  students  appreciation  of  Quechua  culture, although only the bilingual version significantly improved conventional mathematical skills (0.24  standard  deviations).  The  intercultural  bilingual  version  produced  a  stronger  effect on ethnomathematical skills (0.59 standard deviations), but its emphasis on content linked to  the  Quechua  worldview  and  the  abstraction  of  certain  concepts  may  have  limited  its impact  on  conventional  mathematics.  Heterogeneity  analyses  reveal  that  program  effects were stronger among students who spoke only Quechua or were bilingual, suggesting that proficiency in an indigenous language enhances the effectiveness of interventions aimed at developing ethnomathematical skills and cultural appreciation. For teachers, the program improved perceptions of the work environment, increased the use of bilingual and culturally relevant materials, and strengthened knowledge of Quechua culture under the intercultural bilingual version. Overall, findings indicate that Mate Raymi provides a viable alternative to address the challenges of IBE in Latin America by combining a culturally adapted bilingual curriculum  with  active  learning  strategies.  Accordingly,  the  program  is  currently  being scaled up in the departments where it was first implemented. The study contributes evidence on the potential of early childhood programs to strengthen both mathematical learning and cultural identity in Indigenous contexts},
url = {https://doi.org/10.18235/0014005}
}