Dear friends,
Thanks to all of you for your ongoing support of GPE. We would like to take a few minutes to keep you abreast of our progress in Rwanda after three weeks. As many of you know, five GPE volunteers have been placed at the Universite Catholique de Kabgayi and another six at Bukomero Primary School. Currently, both groups have been working intensely to get their projects off the ground.
Each project focuses on English education, as Rwanda’s national language of instruction changed from French to English less than one year ago. Understandably, many mechanisms were lacking to provide a smooth transition for primary, secondary, or university students. Our goal is therefore to improve English language instruction and resources so that students are more equipped for learning in their new Anglophone environment.
Bukomero Primary School
The educational system in Rwanda presents quite a challenge as a whole, with Bukomero acting as a microcosm of many national problems stemming from the fact that students must learn all subjects in a target language different from their own. Bukomero serves approximately 1,100 students and, like many rural schools, lacks even the most basic resources. Students are forced to study under sixty year old roofs without books, learn computer science without computers, and lack properly functioning toilettes. In addition, teachers must conduct all lessons in English, though many have only a basic command of the language itself.
Though there exist many difficulties imposed by such a rural environment, the project is off to a promising start. GPE volunteers cover all upper primary and lower secondary English classes in addition to holding teacher trainings two days per week that focus upon learner-centered teaching methods and English competency. Such methods are currently being taught by Rwandan government trainers, yet localized trainings in rural districts rarely occur. Because Bukomero has barely enough English resources for the teachers themselves, these short-term initiatives will be coupled with two long-term steps by the beginning of July: hiring a trained English teacher to work full-time and continue teacher trainings as well as creating a library through the renovation of a storage room and provision of basic resources such as dictionaries, English workbooks, and audio materials.
In addition, because Bukomero’s infrastructural needs are many, GPE volunteers will electrify the classrooms in the school as well as explore additional future projects such as improving IT resources and connectivity, the provision of functioning toilettes (as the current facilities overflow when it rains), secondary school scholarships for students who cannot afford the fees, and roof renovations in the most dilapidated classrooms.
Thank you for your ongoing support of our programs. We will continue to keep you updated on our activities and progress. Please feel free to contact us with any feedback or questions, as we would love to hear from you.
Kind Regards,
The GPE Team
07 JUN 2009