How ready are we for the new curriculum?

On April 23, 2015, government unveiled a new curriculum to foster a transition from a knowledge-based to a competence-based approach of teaching, whose implementation begins this year. This, unlike the previous methodology, would allow provision of instruction, assessment and grading with huge focus dwelling on imparting practical skills in learners. The new concept gives prominence to development programmes and crosscutting issues such as genocide and environmental sustainability. But how much is in place so far to ensure a successful implementation of the new curriculum? Infusing fresh material required training, which forced Rwanda Education Board (REB) to set its sights on preparing teachers, improving publications and equipping schools with the necessary material. Dr Joyce Musabe, the deputy director-general in charge of curriculum development at REB, explains that some of the initial steps taken involved engaging publishers at all levels to improve content in the old textbooks and to print new publications. “We didn’t want to import any books at all so held several workshops with the local publishers. Since June last year, publishers have been working on this and REB took the initiative of training and equipping them with details of the new elements,” says Musabe. While emphasising that Kinyarwanda would be taught as an elective subject in all schools, Musabe adds that additional changes within the language were captured earlier following guidelines from the Rwanda Academy of Languages and Culture (RALC). “You are aware that the language had adjustments in its phonology and grammar. All changes were captured as recommended by RALC and incorporated in the new text-books to be used in all schools,” she adds. When The Education Times spoke to the publishers, majority of them revealed participating in various workshops and were already making the necessary adjustments after REB issued tenders. Publishers speak out According to Stephen Mugisha, the chairman of the Rwanda Publishers Association, the call was embraced and the first drafts of textbooks was handed over to REB for review. “We handed in these books a few months ago, they have been reviewed and returned to us to effect corrections,” says Mugisha. He further points out that once these corrections are incorporated, the books will again be submitted to REB for final approval before distribution. “Immediately these copies are approved, supply will start right away in schools,” he adds. However, not all publishers received a green light from REB. Teachers working in groups during the recent training on the new curriculum. (Frederic Byumvuhore) For example Jane Uwera, a publisher at Penda Kusoma, completed training and remains optimistic that since REB issued calls for slots to publish new books, her turn is yet to come. “Those who applied in the first slots already had their books reviewed by REB and will soon start supplying different schools. We are waiting for the last slot, which is the sixth, and if we are successful, we shall engage straight away,” says Uwera. She, however, worries that much as local publishing houses are on board, international publishers might dominate the business. “Local publishers are young in the industry, and that means they can only supply books depending on their capacity to publish. This gives leverage to international publishing houses and intensifies competition on the market,” she adds. Also waiting for a call, Grace Mbabazi, a publisher with Cactus Publishers, hails the trainings from REB because it enabled them to get the content to add in the books to facilitate the new curriculum. “Most of our members have been representing us at workshops. Now we are using the skills acquired to avail the new content,” she says. Teacher training The fresh content introduced in the revamped curriculum necessitated training of teachers on the new syllabus. In August last year, at least 3,060 teachers from primary and secondary schools benefited from a 10-day countrywide training in the curriculum, according to REB officials in Nyanza. The training was in such a way that 92 teachers who had trained earlier took their colleagues through similar steps. And recently, a total of 25,768 teachers from pre-primary, primary and secondary school completed a five-day training in Rwamagana. About 23,338 were from primary and secondary schools, while 2,430 were from pre-primary schools across the country. Musabe maintains that the training will continue to reach the lowest levels possible. “We conducted a workshop in January but refresher trainings that were started earlier shall continue at umurenge and the district levels,” she adds. Implementation of the curriculum will follow phases for three years until 2018, meaning that the supply of trained teachers should be commensurate to the number of students. Nonetheless, government’s plan is to streamline the quality of teachers recruited from the training institutions. Alphonse Uworwabayeho, the head of department of early childhood and primary education at the University of Rwanda’s College of Education, reveals that plans for nurturing the competence-based approach within training institutions are underway. “We are aware that the teachers have to use different approaches to equip learners with more competence and we are currently revising our teacher training curriculum. By next year, the changes will be accommodated right from the institutions,” says Uworwabayeho. Teachers on the new curriculum The United Nations Education and Scientific Organisation (UNESCO) recommends that during curriculum implementation, monitoring and evaluation, teachers’ readiness to take on their new roles should be assessed. But what is on the ground? Theoneste Ngirowunsanga, a teacher at College APPEC Rukoma in Kamonya District, is optimistic that better learners will be produced. “We are all looking forward to the new curriculum and once it is implemented this term, the output will be of better quality,” says Ngirowunsanga. Eduord Nkurikiyumukiza, the director of Groupe Scolaire Remera Protestants, is concerned that some of the instruction materials are yet to be delivered. “Some of our staff is participating in the training on the new curriculum but not all the instruction materials have been supplied to the school,” says Nkurikiyumukiza. However, REB insists that the curriculum is already online and can be accessed by all individuals. This year, the new curriculum will be rolled out in Primary One and Four, followed by Senior One and Four; Primary Two and Five and Senior Two and Five in 2017; and in the final year (2018), Primary Three and Six, as well as Senior Three and Six. ****** DO YOU KNOW HOW THE NEW CURRICULUM IS GOING TO AFFECT YOU? Prosper Hagenimana, S3 student at GS Rugando: The new curriculum will be of more beneficial. First, doing more practical work will prepare us well for life after school. We shall be able to compete better in the jobs that relate to the practical skills we shall learn. -- Paul Yamfashije, S3 student at St Patrick School: We as students expect to get more thorough practicals. Unlike the old system, the new curriculum encourages student participation in the learning process. I believe this will help us to be more competent even outside the school environment. -- Emmanuel Nshimiyimana, S5 student at GS Rugando: According to me, we will be able to build confidence to speak in public through debates since the new system promotes such activities. On the other hand, it may also take time for us to adjust to it, which may in some way interfere with our performance. -- Alphonse Umutesi, S5 student at GS St Phillipe Neri Gisagara: The new curriculum will help a lot when it comes to understanding what the teacher is explaining. In the old system, we could not get some concepts well because some teachers didn’t could not express themselves well in English. But now with the new system that emphasises practicals, we hope to achieve more. -- Emmanuel Hategekimana, student at ESECOR, in Western province: I think the new curriculum will sharpen our thinking, as well as proficience in whatever we do. However,it may not be easy for teachers who were used to the old system since it will require a new set of skills.