Feed A Hungry Mind

Education East Africa Quarterly Report - May 2016

UPDATE FROM KIGALI

The great news is that our NGO, Support to Primary Education Rwanda (SPER), was approved and registered at the beginning of April. This is the partner organization with which Education East Africa will work in Rwanda.

Anne Samson arrived in Kigali on 7^th March for two weeks. The trustees with Anne had a workshop on the Theory of Change. This was an illuminating session run by Karen, a Dutch consultant living in Kigali who gave her expertise for no payment. Karen advised that many projects have not received the recognition they deserve because of lack of a firm relationship and agreement with government officials. We are well placed to work with the government as two of SPER’s trustees are members of the President’s Education Commission. With their connections we are working on a list of criteria to be agreed with the government for acknowledging the success of our project in various stages, and the subsequent actions required of the government and required of us. 

Anne and I, with Ivan our translator, and with the District Education Officer for Gasabo District visited the four primary schools which have been allocated to us as our project schools. These are government schools in a rural part of Gasabo District, Kayanga, Rutunga, Gasabo and Gikomero primary schools. We met the head teachers and had time to talk to the teachers of English. All of them are delighted that help with teaching English is coming their way. Many of the teachers shared their disappointment with the current textbooks as they lack guidance and help for the teachers. However, the teachers were also concerned about what time they would have for training on our project. The schools already have two shifts in order to cater for the numbers of pupils enrolled, and so the teachers are tired with little spare time for training. These concerns will form part of our negotiations with the district and government officials, although much of our training takes place in the classroom.

The head of teacher development at the Rwanda Education Board was available to meet Dilly and me only after Anne had left which was a shame. I have met him on several occasions and we have a good rapport. He asked me to write an appraisal of the new curriculum for teaching English in the first four years of primary school. The new curriculum came into use in January this year. It is a new ‘competence-based’ curriculum. I produced a very detailed analysis which highlighted that much of the new curriculum takes little account of the learning of the structures of the language, and misses many opportunities to introduce topics in ways better suited to child learners. I hope to be able to expand on this exercise and to share my views with the Minister for Education. The Minister and I exchanged text messages (such is the way of working in Rwanda with the ready use of technology and an understanding of immediacy) and he will meet me again, at my request, when we have more feedback from the teachers on our training.

The Chair and Vice Chair of the trustees of SPER met the Mayor of Gasabo District in mid-April to introduce him to the detail of our project. The Mayor is arranging some more meetings for us so that officials, teachers, and parents who will benefit from the project can be together to discuss and plan the project’s progress.

The NOEC books continue to be translated into Kinyarwanda so that the teachers’ books have explanations and instructions in the teachers’ native language. We now have Books One and Two, both those for teachers and for pupils, in sufficient quantities in Rwanda for use on the project. Book Three is being translated.

The systems in Rwanda are properly set out and followed. In turn too those in office are serious about getting their work done. Initially it takes time to comply with the regulations and to get everything underway, but the structure is reassuring. I am enjoying the work ethic here, and the ability to enter into detailed discussions with officials is stimulating. With my co-trustees here we are starting with all the right procedures and agreements in place to ensure the success of our project.

I thank all of you who donate for understanding what it takes to do our work, and appreciating that all our experience and commitment to long-term work is what will transform the teachers’ ability to give their pupils the quality primary education they deserve and need.

Many thanks indeed, and happy summer days to you all.

Katy Allen
Director
www.EducationEastAfrica.org   
Education is the Passport to a Self-Sustaining Life
Katy@EducationEastAfrica.org   

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