The Ministry of Education yesterday launched the education for all review (EFA) that is expected to ascertain the progress made by Rwanda’s education system with a view to inform policymakers.

The review is in line with the recommendations of a 2000 meeting in Dakar, Senegal, wheremore than 160 countries, including Rwanda, committed to ensure education for all, with six goals to achieve by 2015, Education minister Vincent Biruta said at the launch in Kigali.

The commitments include improving early childhood care and education–focusing on the most vulnerable children–universal basic education and meeting learning needs with a target of increasing adult literacy by at least to 50 per cent.  

Dr Biruta said government has since added HIV/Aids fight among the goals.

The six-month review will be carried out by a taskforce of 74 people, comprising a steering committee with officials from the ministry and its line institutions.

The taskforce will also include bureaucrats from the Presidency, Prime Minister’s office and ministries and key institutions, the civil society and Private Sector Federation.

District education officers will also be focal points during the exercise.

"This will not stop our day-to-day activities; we will find time for it within our normal schedule,” said Emmanuel Muvunyi, deputy director of Rwanda Education Board, who has been tasked with coordinating the taskforce.

He said the findings will be presented in a regional EFA meet in August in Kigali.