TVET schools get laptops

The Ministry of Education on Thursday distributed 26 laptops to teachers in four pilot Integrated Polytechnic Regional Centres (IPRCs) and Technical Secondary Schools to facilitate teaching.The laptops will help support the utilisation of computer-aided design in teaching technical subjects using Solidworks software.“These laptops, given to trained teachers, will help them improve the quality of teaching, do research and self-improvement,’’ Eng. Remy Twiringiyimana, the director-general of research and development in the ministry, said.The donation is aligned with the ongoing implementation of the Technology Subject Support Service “T4 Programme.’’T4 Programme is a result of partnership between the governments of Rwanda, Ireland and US-based Solidworks Corporation that offered Solidworks software and trained teachers in using it. The programme covers Design and Communications, Technology, Engineering Technology and Architectural Technology, all of which use Solidworks as a teaching tool.Rwanda opted to start Design and Communication subjects in 2012 as a pilot to replace the traditional technical drawing.The pilot schools to use Solidworks software are IPRC Kicukiro, Tumba College of Technology, Nyanza Technical School and Nyamata Secondary School.Leonard Manirambona, the director-general of Nyanza Technical School, said the laptops remove the challenge of teachers who need to go into school labs to access computers installed with Solidworks software.Manirambona said by 2016, other T4 subjects will be taught in all technical and vocational schools .The T4 curriculum for Rwanda was adopted from the Ministry of Education of Ireland.

National

TVET schools get laptops