MINEDUC’s vigorous training a pragmatic move

Over thirty Trainers of Trainers (TOT) Friday completed training in International Humanitarian Law, courtesy of the International Committee of the Red Cross (CICR). The short course on exploring human rights and the humanitarian law with a goal of incorporating it in the curriculum is just one of a series of trainings the education sector through its various departments has embarked on. The trainings the sector has adopted cut across all disciplines and this time around involve teachers and students, depending on what competence is needed and at what level. Trainings are carried out on subjects ranging from Computer literacy for primary teachers to fit in the one laptop per child program, training of teachers formerly in the Franco-phone section to learn how to speak and write English for a smooth adoption of an English oriented syllabus and in Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET). According to the TVET coordinator, Gerald Karamutsa, the training of people in technical vocational skills at all levels is aimed at cultivating a culture of creativity and innovation, through adopting technical skills by choice not fate as it is stereotyped. Other fields where the Education sector has focused training is in Geographic Information Systems, an ICT infrastructure that harnesses geographic disciplines like mapping, surveying and others like special analysis, statistical analysis. The GIS trainings started with 15 students from different secondary schools throughout the country who received training in electricity consumption, land use and water distribution. The Minister of State for Primary and Secondary Education, Theoneste Mutsindashyaka, disclosed that so far 120 secondary schools have been trained in GIS technology and more are still being trained. “We want to spread GIS knowledge and skills to all the 800 secondary schools because we need it, it is timely and the fact that it’s an ICT innovation, it is in line with our vision of creating a knowledge-based economy,” said Mutsindashyaka. To undertake some of these trainings that are poised to move the sector to another level, MINEDUC has partnered with various companies, individuals and institutions offering technical, advisory and financial support. In order to reinforce the fields of science, English language and mathematics, a group of American volunteers is also going to come and partner with the ministry in teaching training of both the teachers and students, to best grasp the concepts and applicability. Ends