Towards achieving adequate school infrastructure and equipment

28.09.2020

The Government of Rwanda through the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) in 2020 started construction of classrooms where 22,505 classrooms, 31,932 latrines and 81 TVET schools under home grown school construction approach. This aims to reduce overcrowding and stop long distance traveled to and from schools by learners and thus improving learning environment.

The research done by MINEDUC in 2019 revealed a gap of 22,505 classrooms and 31,932. The Government of Rwanda decided to increase schools’ infrastructure and among the classrooms under construction, there are 608 new schools being established countrywide.

Construction of classrooms at Ordinary Budget

A total of 11,501 classrooms and 17,252 latrines under construction are covered by the ordinary budget with homegrown construction approach. Additionally, 81 General Education schools (9 Year Basic Education and & 12 Year Basic Education) are being upgraded to accommodate TVET Students and more 6 standalone TVET schools are being constructed in Northern and Eastern Provinces.

Currently 2,648 school kitchens are being constructed ahead of school feeding program that was upgraded to all students of Primary and Secondary schools in the whole country when schools reopen.

The concept of unconventional school construction approach as a home-grown solution been used because of its cost without compromising the quality of constructed classrooms but also enhances community solidarity and ownership through participation in the construction works.

Rwanda Quality Basic Education Project

Subsequent to signing financial agreement of a total loan of $200 million between the government of Rwanda and the World Bank, on 01^st August 2019, Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development project by the Ministry of Education consists of three main components: enhancing teacher effectiveness for improved student learning, reducing overcrowding and distance to and from schools.

Besides construction, the project also invests significantly in provision of innovative audio-visual programs as well as learning materials to preschool children and early grades of primary school because investing in high-quality early learning can have a substantial and long-lasting impact on children’s cognitive development, successful schooling, and future career.

It also supports the development of ICT-enabled learning materials, training of teachers, and project-based learning of mathematics and science as Mathematics and science are the keys to unlocking the potential for a country’s rapid economic development.

After the completion of full equipped classrooms construction, the project will upgrade and rehabilitate 16 existing Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) and 17 existing Model schools whereby every TTC shall have a correspondent Model school and a newly constructed model school at University of Rwanda, College of Education.

Environmental Assessment compliance

It is understandable that construction of this number of classrooms will at some point affect the environment and that is why before hitting the ground and starting construction activities for both phases funded by the World Bank under Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development project as well as classrooms under Ordinary Budget, the thorough environmental and social assessment purposely to identify and analyze potential negative impacts associated with activities implementation were conducted and mitigation measures were proposed to avoid and reduce the magnitude of the impacts. There has been also a comprehensive site selection, environmental and social screening, and confirmation of all sites before start of construction works.

Education Response to Covid-19 in Rwanda

Like many other countries of the World, Rwanda is facing Covid-19 pandemic, and this has got direct effects on Education. Therefore, Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development project has got additional Financing of US$9.7 million, a fourth component that will finance selected activities from MINEDUC’s Education Sector COVID-19 Response Plan.

The grant will support continuation of quality learning while protecting the health and well-being of approximately 3 million (50 percent female) students and an estimated 40,000 teachers are targeted under the parent project in the short, medium, and long term.

The project also focuses on learning continuity and tracking student progress; ensuring safe re-opening of schools and return of all students; ensuring health and safety of students and teachers on return to schools; protecting vulnerable groups of students (including girls, children with disabilities and those from low-income households) from compounded negative impacts of the crisis and supporting the national COVID-19 response for continued learning, recovery, and resilience in education sector.

As one of Covid19 prevention measures that are in line with this component, there is ongoing construction of hand washing facilities that are adaptive to learners or people with disabilities in 3,931 pre-primary and primary schools.

For last 9 years, the GoR has been constructing about 2,000 classrooms every year, but the facilities remained insufficient, especially at primary level where the pupil-to-classroom ratio (PCR) in 2018 averaged 82 in public schools (up to 95 in Grade 1 and up to 90 in Grades 1 and 2). The PCR greatly varies geographically and by schools, rising to 227 in the most overcrowded schools.

The situation has been ever worrying in the Eastern, Western and Southern Provinces. Nearly all classrooms in public primary schools from primary one to primary three attend classes in double shifts. Nevertheless, class sizes in primary schools often exceed 65 pupils in extreme cases, they exceed 100 learners.

Currently, good number of classrooms are under construction to phase out double shift, reduce overcrowding and long distances traveled by pupils from and to school.

Construction of additional classrooms is integral to the Education Sector Strategic Plan of expanding and modernizing school infrastructure as well as responding to the implementation of the target 62 of the National Strategy for Transformation 2017-2024 (NSTI). The Strategy calls for upgrading and increasing school infrastructure and ensuring access toadequate equipment including modern laboratories, and appropriate teaching andmodern learning materials using Home-grown solutions, leveraged throughmobilizing the population in the construction of classrooms using Umuganda andother community-based activities.

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