The global learning crisis literature raises several important questions and presents new notions of quality education, which tends to be outcomes-driven. Reliance on measuring tangible educational outcomes such as literacy and numeracy through large-scale standardised assessments has narrowed the definition of quality education and influenced education policy in low-income country contexts. To expand ideas of quality beyond standardised measures of learning, this article examines the cognitive outcomes-oriented notion of what is considered quality education, especially in low-income contexts. The author considers emerging literature on the role of social and emotional learning (SEL) in enhancing the quality of education and its contextualisation in low-income countries. Two SEL case studies (one from Tanzania and one from the Democratic Republic of the Congo) are also presented to explore the cultural adaptability and potential of SEL in non-Western contexts. Initial findings show the positive correlation of SEL not only with academic results but also with overall life outcomes with appropriate cultural contextualisation. Despite certain risks, SEL can be useful in low-income settings to expand and reimagine quality education beyond standardised measurements, through a flexible approach that draws upon local and global ideas and practices.