MathsThroughStories.org has been announced as a joint winner of the USD 10,000 Math Power! Prize, awarded by the mEducation Alliance. The award recognises innovative, scalable approaches that strengthen mathematical learning, particularly in under-resourced contexts.
This recognition highlights the work of MathsThroughStories.org, an international education initiative that empowers students to develop mathematical thinking through student-led story picture book creation. The initiative advances this work through four strategic strands of activities: 1) by conducting impactful research, 2) supporting and training educators, 3) delivering student outreach programmes (including its annual mathematical story writing competition), and 4) working with policymakers to enable system-level change.
Submissions to the 2025 Prize represented initiatives operating across multiple regions of the world, including organisations working in Africa, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, as well as public-sector bodies, such as India’s Directorate of Secondary Education, Haryana. The breadth of geographic representation – from grassroots non-profits to government-led programmes – reflects the global reach of the Prize and the wide range of approaches currently being deployed to strengthen foundational mathematics learning. This year’s judging panel comprised experienced professionals working directly on the ground to improve educational quality across the Global South, bringing practical insight into what genuinely supports teachers and students in diverse settings.
Anthony Bloome (Executive Director and Founder of the mEducation Alliance) remarked:
“For the 2025 Math Power! prize, we were looking for innovative approaches to help learners understand abstract mathematical concepts. While the traditional definition of manipulatives includes physical objects (e.g, counters), we were quite intrigued by the Maths Through Stories initiative demonstrating that mathematical story picture books can function as teacher-usable manipulatives with students authoring their own math-themed books. We are also delighted that Math Through Stories, represented by Dr. Natthapoj Vincent Trakulphadetkrai, also contributes to our Math Power! Community of Practice along with other global math champions."
Dr. Natthapoj Vincent Trakulphadetkrai (Associate Professor of Mathematics Education at the University of Reading and Founder of MathsThroughStories.org) commented:
“I’m deeply honoured by this recognition. Receiving the Math Power! Prize provides strong external validation of the initiative’s impact and scalability, especially coming from judges who are experienced professionals working on the ground to improve educational quality in the Global South. It reinforces our belief that empowering students to create their own mathematical story picture books – a research-based low-to-no-cost pedagogical approach – can play a meaningful role in strengthening foundational mathematics learning internationally, particularly in contexts where resources are limited and equitable access to high-quality teaching remains a challenge.”
The mEducation Alliance is a global non-profit that convenes educators, researchers, policymakers, funders, and practitioners to advance evidence-informed improvements in education systems, with a strong focus on strengthening learning ecosystems in low- and middle-income countries. Its global network includes organisations, such as the World Bank, UNESCO, UNICEF, USAID, the British Council, and the Asian Development Bank – illustrating the Alliance’s role as a convening platform at the intersection of policy, practice, and evidence in global education.
