On 30^th January 2024, Director General of Rwanda Basic Education Board Dr. Mbarushimana Nelson chaired a meeting with TTC Principles and Dean of Studies from 16 Teacher Training Colleges reviewing on Quality Education and how to promote English Proficiency supported and funded by World Bank. These colleges are considered as the catalyzer and role model of other schools in Rwanda.

In his opening remarks, DG REB thanked all TTC principles for fresh collaboration and the efforts they put in to promote quality of education especially in preparation of future teachers that are in their disposal.

He requested TTC principles to try all means to fight against school dropout and any cause that may lead this misconduct. “We are who we are today because our teachers played their part in helping us to study well by encouraging us to continue our studies however much circumstances occurred that could stop us from furthering our lessons. We are leaders because we tried our level best and study. I call up on every principle in our colleges and DOSs to know every single step that our students make, create relationship and build trust and confidence between you and them so that you easy communication which will help you to know their problems and design a better way to solve overcome them”. said Dr. Nelson

DG REB asked TTC principles and Dean of Studies to develop and put into practice Rwandan values such as unity, patriotism, social cohesion, resilience, hard work among others. We wish to have a future Rwandan with these values and we are the only mothers who can breastfeed young generation in schools whom will grow with in and transmit to other generations.

To promote English proficiency in schools is a key to sharpen future teachers that are being trained in teacher training colleges with the purpose of helping them to develop their four skills such as speaking, reading, writing and listening which will help them to compete on labor market.

Brother Jean Paul Niyonshuti (Principle of TTC de la Salle) said that graduates from TTCs should be the one who can conduct the lesson with fluent English and confident enough so that learners imitate the competence that they learn and copy from him/her. Students will sit for exam when they are in senior four with intention of detecting the level of their English, then TTC students Year two (senior five) follow the program depending on everyone’s English level where a beginner will pass through three level and intermediate pass through three levels such that every student finish normal lessons and hold an English Proficiency Certificate.

“In order to reach the objective of this program, we shall use extra time and maximize our efforts to help our students who are borders as well. We shall put in place a timetable which will help students and tutors to work up on the lessons of this program where students will do self-studying and tutors will find and help them. It is known that Rwanda Basic Education Board has a plan to not recruit uncertified teachers but it will continue to train TTC students at maximum level to have capable teachers we want and influence in-service teachers regarding the four skills of Communication where all in-service teachers will be awarded with English Proficiency Certificate after passing the courses as it is required by the program.” Brother Paul added

Rwanda Basic Education Board encourages all in-service teachers to profit ICT materials and internet that are in their disposal and join the program in order to upgrade their level of English which will help them to conduct their lessons with confidence and improve their way of communication.

The project has a special focus on strengthening the preparation of teachers in the 16 Teacher Training Colleges in the country and developing a network of 17 fully equipped model schools to develop and test innovative teaching and learning practices to be disseminated to all schools. Now two schools (TTC de la Salle and TTC Save) host students who are in a piloting phase on a program named Residency Program where students who finish courses in TTC join the program to gain experience from the field by improving in ICT skills and English literacy.

Early learning is another major focus with the provision of teaching and learning materials to all government pre-primary classrooms and the development of an engaging audio-visual learning program for the youngest children in Kinyarwanda and English. By investing in the foundation of learning and development of Rwanda’s children, the Government of Rwanda aspires to bolster the human capital in the country.