Intercultural Bilingual Education and Early Childhood Mathematics Learning: RCT Evidence from the Mate Raymi Program in Quechua Chanka Schools in Peru

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