The Ministry of Education (MINEDUC), in partnership with the Education Above All (EAA) Foundation and Save the Children Rwanda, has launched an initiative known as 'Zero Out Of School Children', with a five-year goal to bring 177,000 children back to school.

The main goal of the project is to reintegrate dropouts into schools and guarantee a high standard of primary education for all out-of-school children.

The Minister of State for Education, Claudette Irere, highlighted that the partnership enhances the current initiatives to prevent any child from leaving school and is a valuable contribution to the government's goal of achieving universal access to primary education.

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"One of our major priorities is access to quality education, leaving no child behind and ensuring their retention, transition, and completion throughout the education system. We look forward to a successful collaboration,” Irere said.

Mary Joy Pigozzi, Executive Director of the EAA Foundation’s Educate A Child programme, commented on the programme, stating that the partnership provides tangible opportunities for the children who have been excluded from education.

"We thank the government of Rwanda, whose commitment will ensure that every single out-of-school girl and boy is given a chance to learn and thrive,” she said.

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Rose Baguma, the Director General of Education Policy and Analysis, commented on the primary reasons for the prevalent dropout cases. She highlighted that the main issue is often the lack of support from families and communities.

However, the project aims not only to recruit learners but also to retain them in the education system, with a deliberate emphasis on involving parents and communities.

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Baguma said the latest project expands on earlier initiatives and reinforces the continuous endeavours of the government to guarantee access to primary school education for all. The feasibility of the project is emphasised by the existing collaborative partnerships.

MINEDUC and Save the Children are expected to bring students back to school by identifying and enrolling out-of-school children, tracking their attendance, providing support for enrolment and retention, and assisting children in catching up through remedial classes and emotional support.