{{All 13 Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) are to receive over 100,000 new books to help build a culture of reading. }}
The Kigali Institute of Education (KIE) and the USAID-funded Literacy, Language, and Learning (L3) Initiative have received the shipment of books and are preparing them for distribution to TTCs in the coming weeks.
The books have been donated through the International Book Bank (IBB), an American organization dedicated to improving literacy world-wide.
Publishers donate overstock to IBB, and organizations in developing countries can then select titles and place an order.
This shipment for TTCs includes children’s storybooks, reference books for teachers, and novels and nonfiction books for recreational reading.
“KIE is committed to promoting reading at TTCs and nearby primary schools,” says Dr. Faustin Habineza, Head of Primary Education and Coordinator of TTCs at KIE.
“These books will be an invaluable resource towards that end and will contribute to improving quality education in Rwandan schools.”
The storybooks will be particularly useful to TTCs this year as they roll-out a new curriculum, including a newly-developed course on language methods.
The use of story in teaching children how to read is heavily emphasized; techniques for before, during, and after reading, including the use of props, actions, songs, and expressive reading voice, are included.
“Storytelling can be used as an effective means to promote reading comprehension,” says Jean Pierre Mugiraneza, an assistant lecturer at KIE. “Children like stories.”
With the new books, TTC tutors can model effective use of story in the classroom for TTC students, who will then practice this during their student-teaching at primary schools.
Both TTC tutors and students will benefit from reference books, some of which focus on reading strategies. Additionally, novels and nonfiction books will provide them with materials for recreational reading.
When TTC students themselves love to read, they will share that love of reading with primary school children and other teachers once they themselves become teachers.
“Students in TTCs…have a very limited access to reading books, especially for leisure,” said Mugiraneza.
“This shipment is a long [awaited] response to these challenges. Undoubtedly, TTCs students’ fingers are crossed to receive this shipment.”
Funded by USAID, the L3 Initiative is implemented by Education Development Center (EDC) in partnership with KIE and the Rwanda Education Board with assistance from Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO), Concern Worldwide, International Education Exchange, and the Peace Corps.
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