World Vision-Rwanda and the British Council have partnered with the government in a Rwf32.7m project to promote the use of English in selected schools in Bugesera District. World Vision Country Director, George Gitau, told The New Times that the initiative is part of the organisation’s efforts towards improving education quality. “We came into partnership with the British Council to take on the responsibility of training consultant teachers we brought from Uganda and Kenya,” he said.Gitau explained that the 21 tutors are expected to serve 260 teachers in 21 schools for six months.The team is currently undergoing a special training to get the required standard based on the need of the local teachers.“These teachers are being trained on coaching methodologies to equip them with mentoring approaches and tools or techniques that will help them to effectively take on their respective responsibilities,” he said.One of the tutors, Jane Atim, from Uganda, said part of their strategy is to use debating clubs as a channel to encourage public speaking skills. “I believe that by the end of the six months, we must have completed our task. We are also to focus on encouraging teachers to form debating clubs amongst students as this will also impact on students directly,” she said.The Director General of Rwanda Education Board (REB), John Rutayisire, commended the initiative, saying it was timely.“Empowering teachers in English language is a process that also needs development partners to get on board, and this is a move that is supplementing education strategy in promoting English as the medium of instruction in schools,” said Rutayisire. REB, through the Ministry of Education, entered into a partnership with Teachers Service Commission of Kenya and Uganda, to hire teachers or mentors to teach other teachers English. The objective of the exercise is to improve the proficiency of local teachers in English, which is now the language of instruction in schools.Education Ministry records indicate that over 43,000 teachers have been trained in English language, with the first batch having been trained between November 2009 and January 2010.More teachers are expected in the country to train more local teachers.
