Teachers to address poor performance

HUYE- Head teachers in Huye District have committed themselves to improving their students’ performance in school.This comes as primary and secondary school students are due to return to their respective schools within one week.In a meeting held, Tuesday, in Huye, district authorities and school administrators discussed ways of improving both teachers and students’ performance.The educators vowed to work hard in order to create a favourable environment for students to pursue their studies.Dominique Savio Ndayisaba, the headmaster of Groupe Scolaire Karama, observed that when students are well fed, their class performance is better.He testified how in the past years primary school students used to drop out of school and were subsequently employed in charcoal production and agriculture while others became house helps.Ndayisaba noted that since the introduction of the school feeding programme, the course of events seems to have been reversed.“Students’ welfare plays an important role in determining their attendance and class performance.It is important to come up with strategies which will see every student easily enjoy a balanced diets in order to study efficiently. I hope, with parents’ support, it will be possible,” he said.Gervais Biziramwabo, director of Groupe Scolaire des Parents de Butare, observed that one way to ensure that students are provided with balanced diet is to grow vegetables in school gardens.“We will also involve parents to support the schools whenever needed. I think no parent can refuse to contribute to the welfare of their children,” Biziramwabo observed.“Such an initiative will be possible through the partnership of schools, local leaders and parents”.Speaking to this newspaper, Huye District Mayor, Eugene Kayiranga Muzuka, said schools are being sensitised to come up with ways of improving students’ welfare as part of ongoing efforts by the Ministry of Education to raise awareness on the impact of better living conditions on school performance. Schools were also encouraged to promote sports and physical exercise.Muzuka said Government is also working on improving teachers’ welfare, citing the recent increment of their salaries.Early this year, the Ministry of Public Service and Labour announced that teachers will get a 50 percent salary increment over the next six years. According to the Ministry, teachers at A2 education level (S.6 graduates) were set to be the first beneficiaries of the pay rise, with a 10 percent increment on their January salaries. Another 10 percent, this time among all teachers, is due to be effected in July.Muzuka added that the Government was planning to build houses for teachers as a way of motivating them to ensure quality education.

National

Teachers to address poor performance