The Philippines’ mEducation program has been recognized as one of the world’s Top 100 most impactful and scalable education innovations in the HundrED Global Collection 2026 .

Selected from over 3,000 submissions reviewed by more than 200 education experts, mEducation was highlighted for its measurable impact on improving foundational skills among learners. Developed by Youth Impact, a Botswana-based NGO co-founded by Dr. Noam Angrist, who also serves as the Academic Director of the What Works Hub for Global Education at the University of Oxford, mEducation is a phone-based targeted tutoring intervention that gives students personalized support to strengthen basic numeracy skills. A rigorous evaluation in the Philippines led by Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) found that the program improved math skills by 40% at a cost of just $12 per child—demonstrating both significant impact and exceptional cost-effectiveness. It is now operational in 18 countries.

“mEducation is one of the most cost-effective approaches to improve learning outcomes in global education,” said Noam Angrist, Co-founder of Youth Impact and Academic Director of the What Works Hub for Global Education. “The approach has been tested in over six randomized controlled trial studies, and it has been found to consistently improve learning outcomes, even and especially, in difficult and disrupted education in emergency settings.”

Building on this global evidence, IPA and Youth Impact are translating these lessons into action, working closely with the government and educators to deliver the program at scale and ensure its sustainability within the public education system. “We cannot proceed with ‘business as usual’ given the scale of education challenges faced by the country” according to Secretary Sonny Angara of the Department of Education; “and innovations like mEducation are critical to boost quality basic education with greater resilience to disruptions."

“Being selected for the HundrED Global Collection 2026 is a powerful recognition of the innovative solutions coming from the Philippines,” said Aftab Opel, IPA Philippines Country Director. “This shared success reflects the strong partnership across IPA, the Philippines’ Department of Education, local communities, and other education stakeholders; and it further strengthens our commitment to ensure every child has access to quality education.”

HundrED, a Helsinki-based nonprofit, annually selects innovations that are both impactful and scalable, offering global visibility and opportunities for collaboration.

By integrating evidence-based tutoring into existing education structures, mEducation demonstrates how government partnerships can strengthen learning and improve student outcomes at scale.

IPA is seeking partners to help scale this proven approach and reach more students across the Philippines and beyond.

For more information:

• Access the page about mEducation on the HundrED website
• Access the HundrED Global Collection 2026 report
• Visit the mEducation website