MineduLab, the Ministry of Education of Peru Innovation Lab Case Study

• In Event: Adapting to Context for Effective Data and Evidence Uptake: A Comparison between Embedded Labs in Côte d’Ivoire, Peru, and Rwanda

Proposal

This study examines MineduLab, the Ministry of Education of Peru’s (MINEDU) cost-effective Innovation Lab. MineduLab employs randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as a key tool for designing cost-effective education policies. It fosters collaboration between academics and policymakers to jointly design pilot interventions and rigorously test them using RCTs. Academics propose innovative models grounded in cutting-edge social science theory, while policymakers ensure these models are relevant and feasible within the national policy context. This intersection of policy and academia allows for the creation of more innovative and practical policies than either approach could produce independently.

The study combined a document and literature review with semi-structured interviews. The document review gathered comprehensive information about MineduLab’s origins, history, and innovation projects by analyzing policy briefs, internal documents, and reports. Additionally, 25 semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders involved in the Lab's development from 2014 to the present. Our findings reveal that MineduLab successfully established a process for generating rigorous evidence on educational innovations. Moreover, the Lab achieved sustainability by integrating into the ministry’s legal frameworks, annual budgets, and securing political support both internally and from key actors in the broader ecosystem. However, the study also identifies areas for improvement, particularly in the Lab’s ability to scale its results into sustainable, long-term policies.

Authors

• Karla Petersen, Innovations for Poverty Action

• Juan Manuel Hernandez Agramonte Caballero, Innovations for Poverty Action