Teachers get reading, writing skills

OVER 100 teachers from private and public schools have been trained at Green Hills Academy under the theme “Rigorous Writing and Instruction” last Saturday.As the Rwandan economy continues to grow (especially the service industry), English proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking becomes a more valuable skill-set every day.“We believe that working in schools, investing in students and teachers, is the most effective way to promote literacy for Rwanda’s global future,” explained Prof. Ken Stamatis, the founder of AfricaReads.The teachers came from; Duha Complex School, Hillside Academy, Green Hills Academy, Kigali Parents School, Remera Academy, Good Foundation School, Excella School, Wellspring Academy, International School of Kigali, La Colombiere and SOS Kigali.“I have learnt that writing is the inking of one’s thinking as Mr. Ken said,” expressed Rachel Thies a grade four teacher at the International School of Kigali.However, Washington Luceno a primary six teacher said the training will not only help him as a teacher to improve on his writing and reading skills, but it will also improve on the learning capabilities in schools.At schools like Duha Complex School Rwamagana, reading became a culture according to Brigitte Mukanyandwi who teachers students of senior one and two. “We introduced a reading tea program every Saturday from 7am to 1pm to help improve on the reading skills of both the teachers and students,” Mukanyandwi said.Mark Baur, the executive director of AfricaReads said at the training that a good teacher is a long term student who has the zeal to find something new to improve on his/her skills.“Other than the normal Biology, Chemistry among others which have their facts right, reading and writing helps students to think critically,” Baur said.AfricaReads is in the process of stocking its first Library Cooperative in Kigali, Rwanda. Four partnering schools will be the recipients of over 25,000 books, all of them donated by American students and teachers.Over 1,500 books have already landed in Kigali and are being used as a rotating library between the four schools. AfricaReads also intends to send over 20,000 books within the next two years.