Early this month, Odette Dusabemariya, a teacher from the Northern Province, was given a cow by Rwanda Education Board, as a reward for her outstanding performance. While expressing gratitude after receiving the award, she said the award went a long way to show the government’s recognition of her efforts and hard work.

"It is a sign that government recognises our sweat,” she noted. 

Dusabemariya is one of the more than 800 teachers who have been recognised and rewarded by the Rwanda Education Board through a motivation programme known as ‘Gir’inka Mwalimu’. 

Another 300 teachers will soon be rewarded under the programme.

For a long time, incentives and motivational awards in the education sector only involved outstanding students but that is fast changing as efforts to shift to the unsung heroes of society – teachers. 

Why cows?

Damian Ntaganzwa, the deputy director general in charge of teacher development and management at Rwanda Education Board, says the board’s choice of cows as the reward is because of their social, cultural and economic value in the Rwandan culture.

"In the Rwanda culture and context, cows have a high social, cultural and economic value. One pre-condition we give to suppliers of the cows is that they have to be healthy, mixed breed and pregnant. When the first offspring is a female calf, a new teacher is identified to take the calf. If it is a bull, it is retained by the owner.”

Criteria

The teachers awarded are identified annually before the International Teachers’ Day on every 5th October. 

"The school’s management and community identify outstanding teachers on the basis of their regularity in attending classes, their command of the subjects they teach, their students performance in national exams, and their relationship with the school community among other factors,” Ntaganzwa says.

The identification of teachers to be awarded is done through a participatory process that ensures the school community feels part of the decision making process. 

"That way the teachers feel good performance is rewarded and that the government has an obligation to all its teachers no matter how far they are. There is also a plan to have the award ceremonies coincide with the international days in future,” the deputy director says.

Asked if teachers residing in the city are also given cows, Ntaganzwa says: "They also receive cows but can send them to their rural homes with the help of the Teachers’ Social Economic Unit.”

Other awards and welfare programmes

Other than the G’irinka Mwalimu project, there are other incentives such as giving laptops to outstanding teachers. 

"We recently gave 90 laptops to top three teachers in every district across the country to recogonise their efforts. In future we may also consider seeing best performing teachers encouraged and assisted to pursue further studies,” Ntaganzwa adds. 

There are also welfare programmes in the teachers’ interests such as the housing programme to address accommodation challenges for newly posted teachers. 

"Schools don’t have staff quarters for their teachers which has posed a challenge to newly posted teachers as they may have challenges accessing accommodation. Plans are in advanced stages to construct 416 houses in 416 sectors across the country to facilitate the accommodation of newly posted teachers,” Ntaganzwa said. 

"The houses will be eight roomed, with a sitting room and kitchen and fully furnished and the newly posted teachers will have a residence for at least the first two years after a posting,” Ntaganzwa explains. 

Teachers’ welfare is also catered for through the Umwalimu Savings and Credit Co-operatives (SACCO) For instance government recently injected about Rwf 5 billion in the Sacco .

"Teachers are encouraged to open accounts and are paid through the Sacco. So far the Sacco has branches in all the districts for easy accessibility by the teachers. Teachers are also encouraged to identify income-generating activities with their spouses or group projects and are given loans at a manageable rate of 11% as opposed to bank rates. Teachers have gone ahead to put up successful business like farming and owning trucks hence demistifying the perception that teachers are economically challenged,” Ntaganzwa adds. 

The programmes have so far received a positive rating with teachers, parents and students terming them as crucial in improving teachers welfare as well as boosting their self esteem which reflects on their performance. 

Alphonise Mukankuranga, a parentof a student at Lycee de Kigali Secondary School, says improved welfare of teacher and rewards will go along way to see teachers give       their best in preparing their   students.

"When a teacher is comfortable and feels that their effort is recognised, they will be motivated to do more. They feel that someone appreciates their efforts.”

Should teachers be rewarded?

Marie Costantine Nyirabahire, musician

It is good to motivate teachers because it encourages them to work even harder. It also enhances healthy competition among themselves as they will all want to be recognised and rewarded for good performance. This will therefore improve the quality of education.

Darius Murangwa, PRO College of education

I support the idea of teachers being rewarded after a job well done because it motivates others to also excel. The same practice is done in all public institutions. Why should teachers be left behind?

Nicholus Kizza, video editor

It is a very good idea. You know in most schools teachers are paid peanuts, so rewarding them will motivate them to work harder. Teaching is a noble profession.

Grace Murungi, parent

Like any other person, teachers ought to be rewarded for the good job they are doing because without them, we wouldn’t be who we are today. They are the drivers of the world and that should be appreciated.