Rwanda Seeks New Ways To Increase Pre-School Enrolment

The Director General of the Ministry of Education in Rwanda, Rose Baguma says the government is putting together a detailed plan that will see an increment in the number of children who attend pre-school improve from the current meagre 24 per cent.

Shedding light on what will be included in the country’s national education policy, Baguma said that the government is seeking to review the policy to realign the education system with its new targets, new vision and goals as a country.

The new policy will be based on inclusivity, teacher motivation and development and promotion of the right skills among others.

Baguma pointed out that the new policy will seek to have preschool programs ready and functional.

Besides providing a valuable foundation that the children will need as they advance with their education, Baguma said that it cuts down on the number of children who start primary school at a late age and others who repeat and drop out.

She called on the parents to actively participate, since learning begins from home.

The number of teachers in pre-primary schools who are on government payroll was set to be increased from the current 33 to 613 in this past fiscal year.

According to figures from the 2019 Education Statistical Year Book, in 2019, there were 3,401 nursery schools (with 282,400 pupils) in Rwanda of which 508 were public, 1,555 government aided, and 1,338 were private

While addressing journalists recently, the Minister of education Valentine Uwamariya said that 107 teachers have already been placed in government nursery schools, while the remaining ones are expected to be placed by the end of the financial year.

However, the ministry officials did not immediately provide the budget implications of this move.

Meanwhile, pre-primary education attendance was at 20 per cent in 2018.