Language centres set up all over the country

Following the move by the government making English the language of instruction in all schools, centres have been established across the country that will facilitate students and teachers learn the language. According to Fred Bahati, the Director of the East African Language Learning Centres, establishing the centres has quickened the process of integrating English into the society. Currently, forty centres have been set up all over the country after only three months and sixty more centres are expected by the end of next year. “Since the inclusion of Rwanda and Burundi in the East African Community, many people could not easily communicate with other English speakers in the other member States… these centres are in place to curb any language barriers,” Bahati said,. adding that it was speeding up the East African integration process. He pointed out that the Ministry of Education has fully supported the project by allowing children to be taught during the holidays. “Local leaders and parents in the various sectors are fully involved and supportive in the progressive planting of language learning centres,” he stated. Businessmen, French-speaking teachers and students, soldiers, the police and the rural Rwandans are the main beneficiaries of this project. Joseph Mutimura, the coordinator of the language centres in the Kigali City, Eastern and Western provinces, said introducing new ICT technologies and equipments at the centres has greatly enhanced the rate at which English is taught. “Software like the Enctre programme which does not require internet connection, is installed in computers and directly helps learners with English grammar pronunciations and spellings,” Mutimura said. Radios, televisions and DVDs are used concurrently with text books at different levels. “Through this learner-centred teaching method, many teachers are able to directly identify and address specific needs of their students,” said Bahati. “Directly involving student participation and using equipments during classes has resulted in a change of language behaviour in terms of sentence construction, listening, speech and reading, within a months study,” teacher Hasting Rutinda said. Ends

National

Language centres set up all over the country