Educationists urged on smooth transition to new curriculum

Educationists who are supposed to guide the implementation of the new education curriculum have been urged to work with commitment to ensure all programmes are well explained and understood to bring about maximum impact. The new curriculum that will guide education in pre-primary, primary and secondary level in the country is expected to be rolled out at the beginning of the new academic year in January. The call was made by Janvier Ismail Gasana, the director-general of Rwanda Education Board (REB), at the weekend, while addressing the trainers of trainers who were undergoing the last training session and are expected to start trainings next month. Unlike educators who are preoccupied with teachering, educationists are specialists in the theory of education. The trainees are themselves teachers who will impart the acquired skills to fellow teachers in their respective districts ahead of the rollout of the new tool. Gasana said while the curriculum was well prepared and revised several times before it was launched in April, its proper and swift implementation lies in the hands of those who were trained, adding that once well implemented, Rwanda’s education will change for good. That the new curriculum is skills and competency-based, Gasana said, it would contribute to the economic transformation of the country. “The country’s development is now in your hands, the choice is yours if you want Rwandan education to get to the level we all aspire for,” he said. Gasana said that, while in training, trainers should focus on new things and ensure that the trainees pay attention. Teachers who acquired training said they had been equipped with enough skills necessary for them to train others. “Implementation of the new curriculum is not a simple task but, given the training we acquired and our involvement in its preparation, we are committed and ready to imparting new knowledge on the use of the curriculum among our colleagues,” said Marie Nyiragatanga, a teacher from TTC Gacuba II in Rubavu District. “This curriculum is learner-centred and it’s hoped it will change the mindset of the students hence a better future generation which will be able to create own jobs, we are committed to training fellow teachers and I am optimistic we will make it,” said Benon Karuhanga, a teacher from Groupe Scolaire de Gahini. The training for the teachers countrywide will start with 10 centres and will see 3,016 teachers trained at the district level and these will take the train deeper to the sectors.

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Educationists urged on smooth transition to new curriculum