On June 8, Ntare Louisenlund School in Nyamata, Bugesera District, for the first time, opened its doors to parents and guardians who are considering enrolling their children, allowing them to explore the campus before the official opening in September.

Families toured the school and later on, the youngsters engaged in fun school activities such as swimming and other games while their parents interacted and networked.

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"We have never had an event where we opened up the campus to parents and children, and families, to visit as potential candidates for our school and also partake in activities like swimming and soccer which we have availed today to incite cheer at our state-of-the-art campus in a natural setting.

"I have never actually seen young people playing, having fun, and exploring the campus. Today, for the first time, Ntare Louisenlund School felt like a learning community,” said Damien Paul Vassallo, the head of the school.

The event began with a panel discussion featuring the school’s head, two Ntare School Old Boys Association (NSOBA) representatives, and a chance for parents to inquire about the school’s approach.

During the panel discussion, Charles Kamuru, a university lecturer and NSOBA member, pointed out that when the idea of establishing the school was developed, the founders made sure to preserve cultural heritage, academic excellence, and extracurricular activities.

"We used to be a sports powerhouse in Uganda, and we have integrated what we had here. We have modern pitches, a swimming pool, and a cricket pitch under construction. Therefore, bringing your child here would be the best choice,” Kamuru stated.

Benjamin Manzi, Vice Chairman of NSOBA-Rwanda, said learners will exercise the philosophy of freedom and self-governance.

He said that the school is non-denominational, as all regions are welcome. "We have a Rwandan culture that every learner must adhere to. Learners will participate in proper sanitation of the school and we won’t entertain bullying,” he said.

Manzi also pointed out that the school will have a debate club where learners will partake in debates to boost their communication skills, and confidence, develop critical thinking skills, and foster collaboration and the spirit of teamwork.

"Learners ought to be competitive, during our time in Ntare School back in Uganda, we were expected to be present for both morning and evening preps and teachers roll called. If a student missed preps thrice, they were dismissed from school. Students shouldn’t be chased after,” he added.

Manzi noted that at Ntare Louisenlund School, students shouldn’t be ‘bookworms’ but rather be active in discussions and seminars.

Vassallo pointed out that students will be mentored by teachers. Each teacher will mentor a maximum of 10 learners, engaging in dialogues about their goals, talents, and education of the mind.

"We shall also make learning accessible for learners with special needs,” he pointed out.

Vassallo said the school will not just be of academic excellence with a special focus on STEM and young entrepreneurship, but it will also be a learning community committed to helping to create personal educational stories. That means that each child’s background, their special learning needs, interests, passions, and goals in life, play a role in contributing to the instructional design.

"So, we listen, empathise, and then adapt our instructional design to each learner to accommodate that learner’s goals and needs, and it’s really about personalising learning in a very 21st-century way that schools of the 20th and 19th centuries didn’t do, as it was a one-size-fits-all programme for students with some variation,” Vassallo said.

After the interactive session, parents were given a tour of the main facilities, which included academic and residential buildings, co-curricular areas like sports fields, and more.

The event concluded with a networking session where visitors engaged in one-on-one conversations while enjoying snacks and refreshments by the swimming pool.

Preparations for school opening

"In terms of our project timeline for developing the school, we are in a good position, time-wise. We have been working on this project actively since the spring of 2023, and we really got stuck in the summer of 2023. And so in terms of developing a concept for the school, and HR campaign, we have to hire good staff, including international teachers who have experience with the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, and this was a major challenge,” the head of the school stated.

Vassallo also revealed that so far, the school is in a good position, having recruited nearly all the necessary international teachers, and is now in the process of hiring local teachers to complement the teaching staff.

The school has a full administrative staff, including custodians, gardeners, cleaners, facilities managers, structural engineers, etc.

Vassalo noted that, since the school officially opens its gates to pioneer students on September 23, the school’s administrators will invite, select, and then award scholarships and admit students.