Senators push for improved teachers' welfare

Senators have moved to push Government to put in place all mechanisms to boost teachers’ welfare, which they say will have a positive impact on the quality of education in the country. In what senators called a “complex situation” that needs extensive and inclusive approaches from all sectors, the quality of education needs bigger financial support to reach a significant level of sustainable strategic plan to cover the gap. The issues were raised during a consultative meeting, last week, between the senators and stakeholders that sought to know what needed to be done to boost the quality of education in the country. According to Senate president Bernard Makuza, for educators to attain a desirable level in the quality of education, there is a need to leverage information and telecommunication technology (ICT) and continue exposing the ICT tool to children right from an early age. “Quality education is key to development and the best of early childhood education is a must, so far kindergartens or early childhood education centres are still minimal and many parents are yet to understand the significance of sending their children there, this needs to change,” Makuza said. Makuza noted the importance of having an inclusive education where parents take the lead in the shaping of their children’s knowledge acquisition and complemented by motivated teachers. A report, tabled before Senate last week by the Senatorial Committee on Social Affairs, Human Rights and Petitions, which had convened the consultative session with experts, indicate that only 17.5 perc ent of eligible children attend early childhood education a serious gap that is occasioned by little or total lack of awareness by the parents. So far, according to officials, Government has started a programme of establishing nursery corner in all 12-Year Basic Education schools that will be taking in children aged between 3 and 6 but some children will be constrained by the long distance. Expounding further on the general issues surrounding the quality of education, Senator Gallican Niyongana, the chairperson of the committee, said some of the challenging issues are multi-sectorial and can only be addressed through a strategic and synergic approach. “It is all about extensive role of parents who can be able to hold accountable teachers and learners; it is also about the teaching quality, educational facilities, methodology in the teaching learning experience, results-driven education and most importantly, leadership coordination,” he said. Education officers Niyongana, for example, stated that despite the decentralisation policy that has been very fruitful in some areas, there have been issues of education officers at the districts who are assigned other activities and leave their docket unattended to. On the other hand, it was stated during the meeting that the quality of education will remain wanting because the teachers’ welfare, despite the efforts that have been put in place, remains unattractive to competent workforce. According to Dr Dan Imaniraho, the director of quality assurance at the Adventist University of Central Africa (AUCA), the quality of education revolves around the knowledge capacity of the nationals; teachers need to be assisted and prepared both at school and outside schools. “For example, teachers will need to grow against the development of technology, there is no room for conservatism, they have to be dynamic; we cannot teach using the same methods in which we were taught,” Imaniraho said. “This will require extensive training and mindset change, on the other hand teachers need to exercise careers independently and in an environment that is convenient, many would choose to be paid little but teach in comfortable classes rather than teach in crowded, classes with more than the actual pay rate.” Measly pay? At least by 2014, figures showed that a high school certificate holder teacher earned a net salary of Rwf21,000, a college undergraduate diploma holder Rwf89,000 and a Bachelor Degree holder take Rwf113,000. This, the experts say, dims in comparison with a junior specialist nurse at a public health centre who pockets a net salary of around Rwf280,000. Over the past seven years, the teachers’ salary rose only by 10 per cent plus the normal decapitation grant of $20 (Rwf12,500), unlike medical doctors and pharmacists who will almost double their net salary if fringe benefits and other allowances. Reacting on the way forward, Education minister Papias Musafiri acknowledged the challenge of boosting quality of education but said people should not just look at net salaries, but also consider other incentives in place to facilitate teachers. “There is a need for more physical incentives, but we need smart teachers who will help us in IT-enabled classrooms, the teachers who will be able to teach using digital materials and Government is working tirelessly to invest in that sector, Musafiri said salary for teachers will “never be enough” and reiterated the different special benefits for teachers like special credit lines, helping them access financial loans through their Umwalimu Saccos on top of supporting them to access laptops, accommodation and other incentives such as ‘one cow per teacher.’ While experts hail the role of Government to have enabled bold policies on education for all, the consultative discussion resolved among other things for improvements on proper coordination between local governments and parents to reduce dropout rates. Senators also resolved that there should be an increase in new classrooms for the 12 Year Basic Education, training and support of teachers, researches and promotion of IT in schools, among others. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Senators push for improved teachers' welfare