Category: Education

This project, named the ‘Smart Education Project’, is a collaboration with the Government of China, featuring technology installations that enable these institutions to access fast and affordable internet.

The initiative will be implemented through two data centers located at the University of Rwanda, specifically in the Gikondo and Huye branches.

These data centers serve a dual purpose: providing fast and affordable internet to the schools and housing various educational materials for easy access by those who need them.

The project, which began in 2018 and implemented towards the end of 2023, has already reached 500 schools and universities. It is expected to expand to 1,500 institutions across the country. To date, $30 million, equivalent to approximately 38 billion Rwandan Francs, has been invested in the project.

The State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Irere Claudette, stated that this project will help schools and universities in accessing fast and affordable internet, simplifying the teaching process.

“We have been focusing on spreading internet access in schools for some time. Often, the issue was the limited availability, preventing students and teachers from accessing it, usually confined to the management level only. Thus, our recent efforts have been towards increasing internet capacity and affordability,” she said.

To achieve this, the Rwandan Government sought the necessary resources to expand the internet infrastructure. “We started with a few schools to test the functionality. Today, they are using it to assess its speed and efficiency, and we are observing positive results,” she continued.

She added that this development would allow lessons to be delivered more efficiently, urging school leaders to maintain and expand internet access within their institutions.

Dr. Raymond Ndikumana, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Strategic Planning and Administration at the University of Rwanda (UR), commended the Ministry of Education for their trust and support, noting that it would enhance teaching methods.

Schools and universities that have begun using this internet service reported it as a timely and cost-effective upgrade from their previous connections.

Jean Marie Vianney Samarwa, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance at ICK, noted that internet costs had been a significant expense for the university, but this has now been reduced.

“We are among the universities that received this internet service three months ago. It offers many benefits, including significant savings on one of the major expenses for private universities, which is internet procurement. Previously, the high costs meant purchasing limited and often inefficient services,” Samarwa remarked.

“The affordable and efficient internet service we now have is highly beneficial. Especially during Covid-19, when we were required to conduct online teaching, we faced significant challenges due to poor internet service. This will greatly aid in remote teaching and allow foreign teachers to conduct classes from their home countries. We thank MINEDUC and the Rwandan Government,” added.

This sentiment was echoed by Ingabire Dominique,the Principal of IPRC Karongi, who mentioned that the project has reduced their internet costs and made it easier and faster for students to access the internet.

Initially targeting over 500 schools, the project aims to reach all educational institutions across the country.

However, I am sure your answer would have changed if the word ‘books’ was replaced by ‘movies’. Does that hit the bell? Did I remind you of your favorite movie scene? While we’re still at it, how many movies have you watched ever since you got a laptop or smartphone? Not a number that you can remember, right?

If we all try to be honest, we can agree on the fact that watching a captivating movie is as sweet as melting a cold strawberry ice cream on a sunny Sunday. Reading a book, on the other hand, is boring, and requires strength and thinking. This is why most of us prefer holding a laptop and lazily watch a movie, than putting our minds into reading something.

Nevertheless, haven’t you ever thought that people who try to read are always a bit wiser? I mean they always have an idea about almost everything, right? According to Benjamin Franklin, “The person who deserves most pity is a lonesome one on a rainy day who doesn’t know how to read”.

Do you think that is based on the mere fact that reading is fun? If that was true, I am sure movies, and not books, would have been the best candidate. If we go into the depths, we will be able to learn about a hundred reasons why books are better than movies in almost every single aspect.

Reading improves memory

When reading a book, you’ve got a lot to do other than just sitting and painting your eyes on a paper. You have to recall a character, their description and everything about them whenever they are mentioned. This exercise given to our memory helps it to strengthen its capacity. This is why reading is believed to help people who have clinical symptoms related to recalling things.

Books form better mental images

Just imagine you’re reading a novel. By a simple description as “a tall brown guy with broad shoulders and a lithe body whose smell is evocative of the lavender flowers blooming gracefully on the river side”, the brain can create a more captivating character that is not as easy to depict in visual images. This is why reading is deemed as an active exercise while watching movies is just passive.

Expanded vocabulary and grammar

Movies can also help you improve your vocabulary, but when it comes to books, that is almost their specialty. Books expose us to new phrases and figures of speech that are almost impossible to notice in a movie. This is because while watching movies, one is attentive to the images in front of them while every word, punctuation and space counts while reading.

Sense of accomplishment

If you have read a book and ended it, you must understand my feelings on this. Watching your hands as you flip the last page of a book and reflecting on the long journey of reading gives a sense of accomplishment, success and pleasure that just watching a movie can never give.

Movies are, in their own way, appealing and fantastic. However, books are much better in terms of knowledge and experience. I am not telling you to stop watching your ride-or-die movies, because even I can’t, but it is almost time you started considering reading books too. If you give it a try, you’ll learn that books are just blessings in disguise!

Sometimes being unable to concentrate irritates us the most. No matter how hard we try to be attentive, we always find ourselves absent minded. Be it in a church, class or just thinking about something, we often find ourselves attentive to the unwanted things.

Most of the time, it doesn’t end by just being irritated, lacking concentration interferes with our daily activities too. In the worst scenario it can even raze our creativity, making us professionally unproductive.

Though lacking concentration is almost a common thing, there are some lifestyle factors that contribute to it. Scientists claim that when it comes to the inability to concentrate, factors like lack of sleep, hunger, stress, lack of exercise and tiredness can both be progenitors and rub salt in the wound.

Do you always struggle to restore your concentration? If you really do, I can assure you that you are not alone. Many people are struggling with the same issue. However, here are some tips that I’d like to share with you hoping that they can help you improve your concentration.

Train your brain

Playing games that require thinking like crossword puzzles, memory games and chess can help you to improve your concentration. Other brain training activities like meditating, listening to music and learning a new skill can also improve concentration as it was revealed by a study carried out in 2015.

Listen to music

You might not be a fan of music, but you ought to know that listening to some sounds while working can improve concentration. Though this is really effective, the kind of music varies among individuals. It is your task to find out what kind that makes you attentive.

Sleep

“When one doesn’t get enough sleep, they are more likely to have problems concentrating,” science says. Sleeping less than 7 hours a day can lead to extreme tiredness that is likely to interfere with daily activities like driving, studying, etc.

Spend time in nature

If you are working on your concentration, taking a few minutes walking, sitting in a garden, or simply watching trees can really help. It benefits brain development and improves attention.

A research carried out in 2014 revealed that even putting plants and flowers in the workplace can improve concentration.

Take a break

This can really work, especially if you’re mentally or emotionally exhausted. If your concentration starts to sink while you’ve been working on a certain project for quite a moment, it is only right to get yourself out of it for a little while. This will lessen your exhaustion and restore your concentration.

Mind your diet

Processed food, too much sugar and fatty food are believed to reduce one’s concentration.

Instead, if you want to improve it, make sure you never miss breakfast and never let your body be dehydrated. You can also drink coffee since science has claimed it to improve attention and focus.

Though maximum concentration is not that easy to achieve, I can assure you that the discussed tips will always help you. As in your journey to achieving this, I wish you success. You can do it!

The results, unveiled on Monday, December 4, at the Ministry of Education’s headquarters, indicate that male candidates demonstrated a commendable success rate of 96.8% in General Education (GE), surpassing the 93.6% success rate achieved by their female counterparts.

Similarly, in the Teacher Training Centre (TTC), male candidates slightly outshone their female peers with success rates of 99.8% and 99.6%, respectively.

This trend persisted in Training Vocational Education Technical (TVET), where male candidates achieved a success rate of 97.7%, slightly edging out females at 97.5%. The data encompassed a total of 80,892 candidates across categories, including GE, TTC, and TVET.

Within the GE category, out of 48,455 candidates (21,186 male and 27,269 female), 94.5% successfully passed this year’s examinations, representing a marginal decrease from the previous year’s 94.6% success rate.

TTC, with 4,000 candidates sitting for exams (1,708 male and 2,292 female), witnessed a pass rate of 99.7%, a slight dip from the previous year’s 99.9%.

Concerning TVET, 97.6% of the 28,070 candidates (15,163 male and 12,907 female) who sat for exams showed a marginal change from the previous results of 97.8%.

NESA emphasized that the highest achievable aggregate by excelling in all examinable subjects is 60, while the minimum aggregate stands at nine. Candidates and stakeholders can now access their results through NESA’s portal or via messages.

However, there are moments when school administrators find themselves at a crossroads, torn between being human-centred and business-oriented.

This month, two instances happened in Ugandan schools that made me question the humanity of school administrators while at the same time I tried understanding where the school administration was coming from.

At Ntare Secondary School, the entire classroom of S.6 students was suspended for allegedly; “deliberately destroying school property including recently installed school CCTV cameras”.

Similarly, the management of Progressive Secondary School in Kitintale attempted to prevent five students from sitting for their S.4 exams because they had not paid their school fees.

In Uganda, secondary school is divided into two levels: Ordinary Level (O Level), which lasts four years (S.1 to S.4), and Advanced Level (A Level), which lasts two years (S.5 and S.6).

S.4 and S.6 represent the end of either level, requiring students to sit for National exams, after which they are handed certificates that allow them to continue their study or even enter the workforce.

This criterion reflects how delicate the two instances were, presenting the question of whether to be human-centred or business-centred.

From the student’s standpoint, the decision to strike or an inability to pay school fees is not merely an act of defiance but often a desperate cry for attention.

In many cases, it is a manifestation of deep-seated issues within the education system; issues such as unaffordable tuition, inadequate facilities, or a lack of responsive governance, hence engaging in strikes may be the only means for them to be heard and have their concerns addressed.

A human-centred approach emphasises empathy, equity, and the general well-being of students, thus school administrators must recognize that financial challenges can impair a student’s capacity to pay on time in the case of unpaid fees.

Similarly, when dealing with student strikes that cause property damage, administrators must understand the underlying causes of the protest, acknowledge students’ voices and concerns, and encourage open dialogue to address grievances constructively rather than issuing outright suspensions.

On the other hand, a business oriented approach prioritises budgetary prudence, discipline, and the school’s long-term sustainability whereby unpaid tuition can put a strain on the school’s finances, making it difficult to provide excellent education and necessary amenities.

Uniformly, student strikes that cause property damage necessitate discipline in order to deter similar behaviour in the future. Suspension acts as a deterrent, delivering a clear message that damaging behaviour will not be accepted.

The challenge for school administrators then is striking the right balance between the two approaches, which entails taking a nuanced perspective that takes into account the individual circumstances surrounding each case.

In these two scenarios, it means differentiating between students who genuinely cannot afford school fees and those who are intentionally delinquent.

It also entails understanding the root causes of student strikes, addressing underlying issues, and implementing disciplinary measures when necessary.

By finding this equilibrium, schools can uphold their responsibility to provide quality education while acknowledging the individual needs and rights of their students.

The authorities have established 1,099 examination centers within 3,644 schools nationwide. The primary leaving exams commenced on July 17 and will conclude on Wednesday, July 19.

The three-day PLE exams encompass a range of subjects designed to assess the candidates’ knowledge and skills.

On the first day, pupils covered mathematics, social studies, and religious studies. The second day will see candidates doing examinations for science, elementary technology, and the local language, Ikinyarwanda while the last day will focus on English.

The PLE exams were officially inaugurated on Monday morning at two selected schools: EP St. Dominic Kagugu in Gasabo District and GS Camp Kigali in Nyarugenge District.

This event symbolized the commencement of the examinations across the country.

Ahead of the exams, on July 14, NESA distributed exam papers to all districts. Officials underscored their commitment to upholding the integrity and effectiveness of the national examinations while ensuring a fair and conducive environment for all candidates.

Following the completion of the PLE exams, the focus will shift to the Ordinary level (O-level) and Advanced level (A-level) examinations.

These crucial assessments are scheduled to begin on July 25 and will run until August 4. A total of 131,535 candidates are expected to sit for the O-level exams, while 48,674 candidates will do A-level exams. Besides, 28,196 candidates from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs and 3,994 from Teachers’ Training Colleges will also participate in these examinations.