Celebrating three years of improving learning outcomes

With VVOB’s programme in Rwanda ‘Learning Outcomes in Primary Education’ coming to a close, VVOB and partners took the opportunity to get together and look back on their achievements. From 23 to 25 November, VVOB Rwanda organised an event to celebrate three years of hard work with the Rwanda Education Board (REB) and the University of Rwanda-College of Education, and to look forward to many more to come.

Proud ending

Over the course of three years (2014-2016), close to 400 head teachers successfully graduated from a course on effective school leadership, developed and implemented by the College of Education.

120 professional learning networks of head teachers were also set up. VVOB and REB trained a Sector Education Officer to each lead the network in their own sector.

And finally, 64 tutors from 16 Teacher Training Colleges were trained in stimulating a learner-centered approach to pedagogy in their student teachers and in their own colleagues through communities of practice.

During the three-day event, participants discussed these trajectories of capacity development of head teachers, sector education officers and teacher trainers. They also reflected on the future and contemplated how these trajectories can be sustained and scaled-up in line with the Ministry of Education’s new Teacher Development and Management Policy. The graduation ceremony of 397 head teachers who successfully completed the diploma course in Effective School Leadership was a proud ending to the closing event.

Continued support

Three special guests were among the invitees: Ambassador of Belgium to Rwanda Arnout Pauwels, the Director General of the Rwanda Education Board Janvier Gasana, and the school principal of University of Rwanda – College of Education George Njoroge.

All three have expressed their continued support for strengthening school leadership and stimulating a learner-centered approach to pedagogy, both an integral part of the VVOB’s next multiannual programme in Rwanda that will run from 2017 until 2021.