Reading, numeracy skills lag in schools – researchers

Many pupils in the country have not mastered the basic reading and numeracy skills needed to keep up with learning, resulting in a decline in general performance of the education systems, US researchers have said. The researchers said the problem affects the whole continent. Rachel Glennerster, the executive director of Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-Pal), based in Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US, said there are too many children in schools but not learning in addition to 15 per cent school dropout rate which is still a a global great concern. “Because of lack of home-based policy frame work in the education system, coupled with lack of detailed information on the financial returns to education among parents, many children drop out of school without basic in reading and writing skills.” Glennerster was speaking at a symposium on policy-based evidence in Kigali, yesterday. According to early Grade Reading Assessment report conducted by J-Pal, while 13 per cent of pupils in Primary Four cannot read a single word of a Primary Two and Three level text, another 13 per cent cannot read a sentence of 15 words in a minute. The findings blamed this on the overwhelming pupil-to-teacher ratio, which incapacitates teacher’s ability to take care of each and every student. Glennerster suggested pupils be separated in classroom based on their ability to learn as a way of improving learning outcomes. The time factor However, Dr Vincent Biruta, the Minister for Education, said although emphasising policies based on evidence sounds a great idea, it could be challenged based on the cost and time for its implementation. The minister said in an environment where teachers still get meagre salary, government should not just adopt a policy but rather try and become the custodian of such a policy. “The government should be the one coordinating these policies and not individuals or organisations. A policy might have worked in Kenya, but it will fail to work here. Some policies only need effective monitoring as opposed to a study.” Researchers also advised that in order to achieve a thriving education system, government should double incentives to stakeholders. Tilaye Nigussie, the WorldWide Concern-Rwanda country director, said adapting to foreign policies would not only raise the question of dependency but also be time-consuming.

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Reading, numeracy skills lag in schools – researchers