The new academic year opens Monday, October 11 as Rwanda returns to academic schedules that start around this time of the year, having recently ditched a school calendar that started in January. It’s a win for the proponents of the reintroduced school calendar who argued that it allows for students to go on their long holidays ahead of extremely harsh weather conditions that are normally experienced during the third quarter of the year. The new schedule is expected to boost students’ concentration and, subsequently, their performance since they will avoid classes during the long hot season, although climate change has increasingly made weather patterns unpredictable in recent years. School administrators and teachers should make the most of the adjustments and help students to learn and acquire new knowledge and skills and to grasp academic concepts, not just for the purpose of passing eventual examinations but to improve their critical thinking, analytical skills and general understanding of the world. In addition, the change effectively aligns the academic year of schools to that of tertiary institutions, and is likely to reduce the duration of the gap year that high school graduates were forced to wait before joining university. And, it is hoped that the new school schedule will help with planning in the education sector as it now corresponds the financial year, which runs from July through June. Meanwhile, schools reopen at a time the country is still grappling with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the virus itself. While vaccines have instilled a sense of hope, the virus continues to spread, even claiming lives. This calls for continued vigilance to prevent the situation from worsening again. Schools have a major role to play as they host large numbers of young people, some of whom are day-scholars, which means there are high levels of interactions not only among students but also between students and the rest of society. There is a need to stick to the basics, like social distancing, washing hands or sanitising regularly, masking up, and making the most of outdoor spaces. We wish schools, learners and teachers all the best as they embark on the new academic year.
