4000 more Burundian refugee children inducted into Rwanda education system

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in collaboration with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) have started to induct 3,944 Burundian refugee children who live in urban areas outside the camps, into the Rwandan education system. The students will be inducted from nine centres in Kigali and three centres in Huye, at schools near their residence. The centres include Kimironko, Kanombe, Gikondo, Remera, Kicukiro, Kacyiru, Nyamirambo, Batsinda and Gatsata in Kigali and Taba, Tumba and Karama centres in Huye District. Since July, relief agencies have been conducting induction programme for more than 15,000 Burundian refugee children in Mahama camp in Kirehe District. The induction is aimed at helping the children be acquainted with the Rwandan education system before starting school next academic year. Speaking to The New Times, last week, Monica Tse Candido, the Association Protection Officer at (UNHCR), said the induction will enable the children to go through the same curriculum as their counterparts in Mahama camp ahead of the next academic year which satrts in January 2016. More than 100 teachers, including 20 refugee teachers, are involved in the induction process. More than 1000 students had been enrolled last week. “The orientation programme is based on the national curriculum and focuses on four languages (English, French, Kiswahili and Kinyarwanda), as well as Mathematics, civic education and life skills,” Monica said. “Refugee students in urban areas are attending classes in a single shift. All the students were provided with scholastic and hygienic materials. In regards to the transportation, students use their own resources to reach the centres. This is the reason why (UNHCR), in partnership with Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), its implementation partner, has identified centres in different districts and neighbourhoods in Kigali and Huye.” Samuel Ndayambaje, in charge of education at ADRA, said more efforts will be put in this phase as the students started late compared to those in Mahama camp. “We expect 3,944 children who live in urban areas for this second phase. It’s four months now since we started the same exercise with Burundian refugee children in Mahama camp. We have been waiting for the availability of schools to enroll children who live outside the camp in cities,” Ndayambaje said. “However, some students under this phase have already joined some schools in Rwanda. We will increase working hours to ensure that they are well trained. The students will have a condusive environment,” he added. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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4000 more Burundian refugee children inducted into Rwanda education system