Low self-esteem is one of the factors that hinders learners from embracing public speaking, hence, occasionally missing out on activities that could perhaps change their lives.

Public speaking skills refer to the talent of effectively addressing an audience — whether it is in front of a group of people one already knows or a crowd of strangers. These students may give excuses when their turn comes to make a presentation, or dodge the episode, or even become speechless if asked to air out their views.

However, there is always a way to nurture learners to become great public speakers, and experts explain how.

According to Jean Michel Habineza, a public speaker based in Kigali, nobody is born a natural speaker, these are skills people gain along the way. However, through joining debate teams or other activities that require them to speak and interact with others, they can sharpen their own communication skills.

He says that alternatively, students can be encouraged to be part of presentations or do anything that will require them to stand up and speak in front of people, and also get feedback from their teachers. "Growth happens when given feedback,” he says.

Joshua Tahinduka, a public speaking coach at Rwanda Toastmasters Club, says communication remains vitally important to the wellbeing of any society. With effective communication, it is easy to make developmental decisions through health discussions, prevent and solve conflict through dialogue, form meaningful connections, and inspire optimistic change.

"Public speaking is one of the most important skills to have, yet the most feared form of communication. As a result, it is highly demanded in the corporate world among other fields today. Although people fear public speaking for many reasons, one clear factor is the lack of adequate training in the skill,” Tahinduka says.

Tahinduka adds that some of the essential attributes that come with developing the skill include; enhanced self-confidence, critical thinking, great interpersonal skills, negotiation skills, persuasion skills, confidence to ask questions, and so forth.

All these skills also aid the learning process and consequently, the learner is able to develop the ability to study faster and even master more complex and abstract concepts.

In addition, Tahinduka notes that ignoring all the aforementioned opportunities to develop skills needed for their effective learning, children are deprived of an opportunity to be competent professionals in the future.

This, in the long run, contributes to unemployment which is not good for the economy. The lack of self-confidence also hinders them from learning new things, which robs them of a chance to get the best out of the education system and life in general, he adds. 

Tahinduka points out that public speaking is a skill that should not be ignored. It befits teachers and parents to work together to facilitate the development of a child’s communication, especially verbal communication. There are several interventions that can be put in place for learners to gain this skill.

For instance, some schools tend to cover this in extracurricular activities such as debate clubs, but the need to do more still is apparent.

"Since we know that it takes a village to raise a child, different stakeholders have a significant responsibility to ensure that children develop their public speaking skills. At home, children should be inspired to speak up and share their views. At school, learners should be cheered to speak up as well, but also be given opportunities to develop the skill through public speaking clubs,” he says.

Tahinduka says there are also several community clubs with already made materials that can be taken advantage of so as to aid a teacher’s ability to guide students.

He believes that by facilitating learners to advance in public speaking, it will be easy to secure a bright future and build the capacity of tomorrow’s leaders.