This paper focuses on research from the RISE Ethiopia team and addresses two major objectives: analysing the progress made towards achieving key goals under the four focus areas of GEQIP-E (internal efficiency, quality, equity, and system strengthening for policy formulation and reform) and whether the indicators of GEQIP-E implementation have been associated with estimated improvements in numeracy over one academic year. The analysis is based on longitudinal data collected as part of the RISE Ethiopia programme during the academic years 2018/19 and 2021/22, as they coincide with the implementation of GEQIP-E (GEQIP-E was disrupted by the dual shocks of COVID-19 and the violent civil conflicts that erupted in November 2020). Findings are presented under the four areas of intervention (school internal efficiency, quality, equity and system strengthening) and the final section links these areas of intervention with learning outcomes.