GATSIBO - The Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) has given Gatsibo District, Eastern Province, Frw 800 million to pilot a 9-year basic education project, district Mayor John Murego has confirmed. He said this Tuesday during a workshop on the 9 Years Basic Education Work Plan that took place at the district head offices in Kabarore.

The project is part of the Government’s Universal Primary Education Policy which aims to provide free education from primary one to senior three.

The free education is to be implemented within the poverty reduction framework and seeks to expand access to basic education and training to all children.

Murego told The New Times that the reason they chose Gatsibo as the pilot district is because of its good performance record.

He was also confident that they would beat the deadline because the money has already been disbursed and all that is left is implementation.

"We shall have constructed about 130 classrooms by January next year. We have already signed the memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Education meaning that the money is available,” Murego said.

Unlike in the other developing countries where free education is restricted to primary level, Rwanda provides for an additional three years of post-primary education, where students undertake a common-core syllabus, the equivalent of junior secondary.

This implies that students leaving school after the nine years will have acquired both academic and technical life skills.

Graduates can then proceed for high school education or enrol in vocational training centres where they can undergo a one-year course in any technical field like mechanics, electricity, plumbing or carpentry.

In implementing the new policy, the ministry will have to change all primary school and common-core syllabus. The primary school syllabus will focus on the basic concepts of mathematics, languages and elementary technological sciences that equip learners with basic knowledge on environment.

Common core syllabus will be designed in such a manner that at the end of the three years, pupils will be able to choose different courses at the secondary level.

Successful students of the common-core syllabus will also be able to enter the job market, as they will have acquired basic skills for work.

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