Teachers attribute poor performance to insufficient instructional materials

HUYE — Local leaders in Huye district and teachers have pledged to work together to improve the education performance especially at primary and lower secondary school level, after realising a decline in performance in last year’s national examinations. Presentations made during the district education meeting held on Tuesday, show that in the 2009 academic year, 53 percent students passed at both primary schools and lower secondary school level, while 97 percent passed at advanced secondary school level. Teachers in primary schools, attribute the low performance in the last academic year to myriad of changes which occurred at the beginning of the year. “The beginning of 2009 academic year was characterised by changes like switching to English as a medium of instruction, changes in teaching methodology and insufficient educational materials. This could have affected children’s performance,” said one teacher who attended the meeting. The district education meeting also evaluated the start of the 2010 academic year. Participants pointed that the delay in completion of classrooms under the nine year basic education program was negatively affecting the start of the academic year. Other issues which were raised during the meeting included; insufficient teachers, lack of teaching materials and related facilities. The district Mayor, Francois Uhagaze noted that the delay in the construction of classrooms was due to financial constraints because the local population did not contribute as anticipated. “We received Rwf 151 million from the central government to help in the construction of 111 classrooms and related facilities,” said the Mayor. “As you might realise this money was not enough, we have outstanding debts to clear but the work has to be completed with the involvement of parents, local authorities and non government organisations, ”he added Ends