Schools under public-private partnership are set to get more autonomy from government following new directives determining the kind of assistance to be offered to them. Under the current framework, which was established in 1985, government support includes expansion and renovation of structures, which had led to a semblance of lack of ownership, according to officials. Addressing a news conference to expound on the decision of Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, yesterday, the State Minister in charge of Primary and Secondary Education, Olivier Rwamukwaya, said the current framework was outdated and counterproductive. He said government support will now be limited to training and recruitment of teachers and providing curriculum guidance in line with the country’s development vision. State minister in charge of Primary and Secondary Education Olivier Rwamukwaya, speaks during the press conference. “However, under the new framework, the government will only extend renovation and expansion support to private-partner schools when it’s deemed necessary and modalities to be followed in such cases will be provided,” said Rwamukwaya. As for entirely private schools, government will only provide curricula and teaching guidelines as well as encouraging parents to be part of their children’s education affairs, said Rwamukwaya. Rwamukwaya also said under the new regulations, a new agreement will be signed between the Ministry of Education and the representative of the private-partner school. “The Ministerial Order provides for the reinstatement of the school’s director in private-partner schools; the head of such a school will be selected from the three candidates provided by the board of the school to the public service commission. The commission will, thereafter, examine the candidates, to picp with the best,” Rwamukwaya clarified. The guidelines on appointment, however, exempt faith-based schools, which, according to Rwamukwaya, would not be compelled to appoint a director who meets the set qualifications. Last year, different schools under public-private partnerships complained to a team of senators that government had taken control over schools management without redefining partners’ role in their development. This required the senators to examine the matter, thus summoning the Minister for Education to explain the issues at hand. David Niyonsenga division manager housing and urban planning speaks to media. The senators, led by Thérèse Bishagara Kagoyire, the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Human Rights and Petitions, had been on a tour to examine the state of national education, only to find some upcountry schools were in deplorable structural conditions. The unclear management framework between the government and private-partners rendered partners unable to fund for the development, expansion or renovation of worn out structures. Most of the schools in question are faith-based that were built in the 1980s and are now in need of upgrade but the lack of clear guidelines on who-does-what has been a stumbling block to the process. Rwamukwaya said the current partnership agreement only existed between government and Catholic Church. However, he added that a new contract would be signed to ensure that each one’s responsibilities are well spelt out as indicated in the new Ministerial Order. Historical context Article 32 of the 1985 Presidential Order provides that private schools would be considered sub-government schools on mutual grounds if they operated under government guidelines and policies. In this context, the government would provide the same support as offered to government owned schools. Journalists listen to Stella Ford Mugabo the Minister of Cabinet Affairs as she briefs the media during the press conference. (Timothy Kisambira) It is through these provisions that, in 1987, the government also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Catholic Church (that owned many schools by then) to renovate, develop and expand schools in line with ‘social reforms’ guideline that were implemented. However, in 1994, the new government did not continue with ‘social reforms’ that were in line with the 1985 presidential decree, saying it [the decree] facilitated the emergence of schools that were based on racial, ethnical and social class segregation. Yet still some of private schools that were initially being facilitated by government through the presidential decree of the 1985 continued to receive government support. But owners lost authority over the schools’ administration and teachers’ appointments, among others. This rendered initial owners reluctant with regard to schools’ development projects such as; expansion, renovation, and paying salaries for teacher. The decree, which paves way for a new agreement between the government and the management of private-partner schools in the near future, also provides for the management of schools’ assets and property, and restructuring modalities. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
