Category: Education

{Discussions about quality education have been circulating among Rwandans. Some argue that there is quality education while others say a lot needs to be done. }

Some of criteria considered while Assessing quality education include teaching systems, offered courses, classrooms, teachers, how knowledge acquired by students compares to international levels, research and basing on UNESCO measurements.

Various reforms in Rwandan schools curricula, teachers’ salary and behavior, among others are said to cause quality education decline in Rwanda.

However; the Director General of Rwanda Education Board (REB), Gasana Janvier has said in a talk show aired at Radio Flash that quality education has a good stand in Rwanda.

He said that a salary is a motivational act that should never be defined as all there is in refining and defining responsibilities.

“A job is offered to someone who applied for it. Saying that the salary is inadequate should not be the subject of disrespecting responsibilities. How much of salary is enough?” he asked.

Gasana said that teachers should work with what is available to offer good services.
“The most important for everyone getting paid is to be satisfied with what he/she obtains. Rwandans should always live within boundaries of their means not in comparison with others. It is better for everyone to live according to his capacities and accomplish his tasks,” he said.

Gasana noted that government recognizes the importance of improving teachers’ welfare, but before that is done, they should dedicatedly educate children of the nation.

He said that some school inspectors do take long without reaching schools under their jurisdiction and, instead, are said to exercise their duties via phones.
Gasana said they do not tolerate drunkenness among teachers and will follow up and invite teachers that are drunkards to face disciplinary action and school inspectors to be more active.

“We have 416 education officers, one in every sector across the country and 30 districts’ education officers. It is not understandable how they can spend the whole week without visiting schools to audit teachers’ performance and students’ learning, among others,” he said.

Gasana said that the matter of quality education also brings in parents in the equation.

“When I hear such matter, I think about it beyond class borders. When a child completes first year without knowing to write while others do, actually he/she has family-related problems, including domestic violence by the parents,” he said.

{A total of 350 students who graduated in Microbiology at University of Rwanda College of Science and Technology, are set to return to school to complete 30% of course units they were supposed to study, so they can compete at the labor market. }

Students have been complaining after finding gaps in courses they have undertaken as they were not accepted to work in laboratories. In most cases they were rejected for laboratory positions, preference given to graduates from Kigali Health Institute (KHI) deemed to be more qualified as they study to depth the entire science of laboratory management.

The complaints raised have prompted stakeholders in the education sector to recall the 350 graduates back to the university to read for the course units they missed to enable them become competitive on the labor market.

The Ministry of Education said yesterday that graduates of Microbiology were on demand to fill the gaps in laboratories but are supposed to undertake research complying with health sector requirements.

The Minister of Education, Papias Musafiri Malimba, appearing before the parliamentary commission in charge of education, technology, culture and youth said that the matter of passing out lukewarm students has been addressed and will not happen in the future.

“Regarding graduates who failed to get employed because of the incomplete course units, the University of Rwanda has added more courses that will fill the gap of missing knowledge and skills. Even those who are already employed will be encouraged to learn these added courses to be more competent in handling laboratory services,” he said.

Musafiri said there will be no charges on continuing students for the extra course units but they will discuss on what to do for graduates already in the field. He however said that arrangements will be made with the University of Rwanda to facilitate those who are unemployed attend courses and get a certificate after completing the courses.

MP Nyirahirwa Veneranda criticized poor feasibility study before introducing Microbiology studies at UR and advised MINEDUC to revisit the course and all its components.

Microbiology courses differ from Biomedical Laboratory Sciences. Returning students will repeat eight modules.

{{Merging Microbiology with Biomedical Laboratory Sciences}}

Musafiri noted that the sustainable solution is to merge Biomedical Laboratory Sciences and Microbiology.

{Students in Rubavu District have been urged to revamp and make the anti-crime clubs in their respective schools active to address their original community policing purpose.}

The District Community Liaison Officer (DCLO), Inspector of Police (IP) Solange Nyiraneza made the call on February 15 while addressing students of Group Scolaire Complexe de la Fraternity in Rubavu.

She noted that these clubs have been significant in some schools where active student members have played a vital part in promoting the culture of reinforcing the awareness against drug abuse and human trafficking especially in their respective schools.

The meeting held at the school in Nengo Sector and attended by the teaching staff.

“A person who consumes drugs has no control of his or her actions and that’s how young people end up dropping out of school, indulging in sexual immoralities that lead to either contacting sexual Transmitted diseases or unwanted pregnancies. This is how young people’s future is lost,” IP Nyiraneza said.

She further noted that, frequent consumption of narcotic drugs may lead students to lose focus in schooling activities.

She called upon the students to always share timely information with their teachers if any of their colleagues is suspected of engaging in drug abuse or people that attempts to lure them into selling or consuming narcotics.

She went on to enlighten them on how human trafficking is carried out today adding that girls are the majority targeted through deceit with empty promises for their selfish ends.

The school headmaster, Valentin Munana thanked Rwanda National Police for the rich, educative and blending message that guides students.

The school, he said, will support the students’ anti-Crime club to lead the campaign against drug abuse and trafficking in person within the school.

{The Ministry of Public Service and Labor (MIFOTRA) has revealed that teachers will be paid based on the matching between their qualifications and what they actually do other than payments depending on the degrees or experience unrelated to the job. }

The Minister of Public Service and Labor, Judith Uwizeye revealed this yesterday as she met members of the social welfare parliamentary committee to discuss matters that arose in the report on public servants of 2014/2015.

Article 31 of the ministerial order of September 2010 states that an employee gets horizontal promotion when he/she is taken to a position higher than what he/she occupied before.

This order rules that a promoted employee must be paid in accordance with the new status. A public servant is supposed to be promoted within a period of three years from one position or before if they have demonstrated eloquent performance.

The report pointed out challenges created in promoting health sector public servants yet their counterparts in the education sector, the teachers, do not benefit from such additional emoluments which prompted MPs to ask Minister Judith uwizeye about the mismatch.

“We hear that some teachers get motivation fees while others get nothing. How can they get promoted and receive motivation,” asked Honourable Nyandwi Desire.
Uwizeye said that they are working on how to promote teachers and provide better motivation which is expected to start soon.

“Perhaps teachers were not used to getting promotions. They were paid for qualifications and experience which had no upgrading. We shall start upgrading their emoluments,” she said.

She further says that the money to pay for promoted teachers has been secured.
availed.

“When the process is concluded, we will promote those due and then release the yearly benefits. The funds are available as we have already negotiated with the Ministry of Finance and Economic planning,” she said.

{The National Itorero Commission says that there are preparations of getting university graduates placed in government institutions as volunteers to practice what they will have learnt at university, after which duration be presented with certificates of experience acquired from a particular institution. The certificate so acquired can be presented in the process of looking for jobs. }

The youth comprise over 40% of Rwandan population while the University of Rwanda releases more than 8,000 graduates every year.

Talking to IGIHE, the chairman of National Itorero Commission, Boniface Rucagu said “We are planning voluntary activities of university graduates. Those who studied agronomy will go to sectors or cells, look at district’s services and help farmers whether in trainings or other support and get a certificate of what he/she has done after completing six months of service.”

Rucagu further said that these voluntary activities will capacitate graduates to compete at the labor market as they will have got a certificate proving pone’s experience.

Rucagu did not tell when the volunteering will start as there are some few challenges they need to address first.

{The Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) has launched a campaign that will reach all schools mobilizing them to prevent malaria through effective use of mosquito nets, paying health insurance and access instant medical care before the disease incubates.}

The ministry of education embarked on the campaign after realizing that students reject mosquito nets saying they cause excess heat overnight which affects their sleep and cause skin rush.

The state Minister in charge of Primary and Secondary schools, Rwamukwaya Olivier has requested students from College Saint André to own medical insurance and head for health care as soon as they feel any symptom of malaria.

“Youth in schools occupy 1/4 of Rwanda’s population. We are strengthening campaigns to create awareness among students to engage in preventing malaria and other poor hygiene-related diseases,” he said.

Father Lambert Dusingizimana, the head of College Saint André said that students are active in maintain hygiene adding that they are going to concentrate efforts, through collaboration with other partners, to prevent malaria.

“It is true that some students refuse to sleep in mosquito nets but we are trying to sensitize them. We are seeking ion from parents to buy mosquito repellants and other facilities that use electricity to kill mosquitoes and which can be used by all students ,” he said.

Recent reports from the Ministry of Health indicate that the number of malaria patients has increased almost fourfold in the past three years.

{Pupils in the primary schools of Giheke sector Rusizi district say that using old classrooms negatively affect their education as they don’t concentrate properly.}

These students request to get better classrooms to facilitate their education.

“We study in old classrooms made of boards and windows that can’t get closed. When it rains we hide our notebooks waiting the rain to stop so we can continue studying,” said Uwingabire Josephine .

The pupils say that they are affected by fleas since rooms are not cemented and so appeal to leaders to build modern classrooms.

Teachers also attest that old classrooms affect students’ performance since they study in bad conditions.

“We have bad classrooms. Sometimes children call them Nyakatsi. It would be better if these schools are reconstructed,” said Mukangwije Fausta .

The executive secretary of Giheke sector, Théogene Nsabimana, confirmed that students still have old fashioned classrooms but said that through collaboration with parents, all will be rebuilt. Giheke sector has 19 old classrooms built with timber.

{The Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding with the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences –Next Einstein Initiative (AIMS-NEI) that will see the launch of AIMS branch in Rwanda in a bid to promote mathematical sciences.}

The Minister of Education, Dr Papias Musafiri Malimba said that cooperating with AIMS brings a big chance to Rwanda and for the region in general in the promotion of sciences.

“I commend this valuable partnership with AIMS NEI since it will enhance Rwanda’s program of promoting mathematical sciences and contribute towards the development of Rwanda and the region,” he said.

Thierry Zamahoun, the director general of AIMS NEI also expressed delightfulness to operate in Rwanda and contribute to national development aspirations.

“Because of the invitation from President Paul Kagame , AIMS NEI will support Rwanda’s government systems to become technology-based. AIMS NEI knows Rwanda as a country with favorable operating environment and we promise to support and collaborate with other research organizations in the country and the region” he said.

AIMS will help in the promotion of science through designing a curriculum related to challenges apparent in Rwanda and the region, popularize the subject, bring in experts including Nobel Prize winners and train Rwandans.

{The government plans to facilitate students access laptops for which they pay in installments at a later date. }

The move follows agreements the government of Rwanda signed with Positivo –BGH, a company that assembles computers and accessories in Rwanda. Under the agreement, the government will be buying computers from Positivo –BGH for use in the education sector.

University students will sign agreements with Rwanda Education Board (REB) accepting to pay for the laptops in installments while students from primary and secondary schools will get computers at no cost.

This was unveiled by the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education, Dr Célestin Ntivuguruzwa when he attended the ceremony of handing 229 computers re-assembled and mended by Tumba College students to secondary school heads.

“REB will receive over 23,000 laptops, the government bought in Positivo –BGH Company. Some of them will be given to primary and secondary schools while others that total 11, 220 will be given to university students on credit. We will start from first year students who are soon starting the second semester,” he said.

“A laptop fee will be added to the bursary every student gets from the government to be paid for as students pay back the living allowances,” he added.

Ntivuguruzwa said this program is introduced in the wake of several requests from students. He added that talks are underway to avail the program to private universities.