Mentors Trained, Receive Laptops, Projectors, Modems

The Rwanda Education Board (REB) and partners held an ICT training in Nyamata, Bugesera for senior mentors from Monday to Friday this week.

Each of the 60 mentors—part of the School-based Mentoring (SBM) Program—received netbooks and projectors, provided by the USAID-funded Literacy, Language, and Learning (L3) Initiative, as well as internet modems, from FHI 360.

The ICT tools will facilitate mentors in planning, reporting, accessing resources and communications forums, and in supporting school-based mentors.

REB’s SBM Program, which began last year, aims to provide primary 1 to senior 3 teachers across the country with continuous professional development to ultimately impact student learning outcomes.

Each of the 60 senior mentors works with 16 school-based mentors, who support teachers at two schools, specifically on English language and pedagogy.

“The program started last year as a follow-up to English language being a medium of instruction in Rwandan schools,” said Damian Ntaganzwa, head of REB’s Teacher Development and Management department. “Teachers are receptive to the use of English language; they are eager to learn.”

Netbooks, projectors, and modems will support mentors. Templates for planning and reporting are already loaded onto the netbooks, and modems will allow mentors to access forums through the Rwanda Education Portal, where they can access resources, discuss challenges and successes with other mentors, and communicate with REB.

Additionally, mentors will use the projectors to present interactive video modules in their sessions with school-based mentors.

Videos demonstrate professional mentoring behavior, such as example meetings between teachers and mentors, monitoring in the classroom, and staff introduction. “As they watch they learn better, rather than you telling them,” said senior mentor Betty Mukashema, who will be based in Nyarugenge district.

At the training, mentors explored Microsoft word, excel, and the internet, particularly for accessing online forums set up for mentors. “I’m very, very confident, and it’s because of this training,” said senior mentor Aluma Adnan, from Uganda. “I’m completely changed, I’m an ICT man.”

Funded by USAID, the L3 Initiative is implemented by Education Development Center (EDC) in partnership with REB and with assistance from Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO), Concern Worldwide, International Education Exchange, and the Peace Corps.