A Partner in Education

Ready to Learn is a teacher training project for teachers working in refugee camps in Rwanda. The project focuses on teaching school leaders and teachers to use strategies that promote Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), restorative approaches to conflict resolution, inclusive approaches and positive behaviour management.

 

Schools that serve refugee camps in Rwanda must navigate the diverse needs of refugee children, who learn alongside children from the Rwandan host communities, and their families, who are likely to have experienced conflict, and possibly trauma, and be facing exclusion.

 

Schools can offer more than just academic learning by providing opportunities for the promotion of positive behaviour management, restorative approaches to conflict resolution, Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), inclusion, safeguarding and community building. Additionally, teachers who work in schools that serve the refugee camps must teach the Rwandan Competence-Based Curriculum and there is a need for Continuing Professional Development in learner-centred practices which R2L promotes.

 

Quality of education and learning outcomes can be negatively impacted by low levels of competency among school leaders and teachers, indicated by high dropout rates, and low completion and low transition rates (MINEDUC, 2022). As teacher training provision is limited, and traditional forms of ‘discipline’ are widely used in schools, a quality teacher training programme is necessary for children to realise their right to a quality education and to ensure the Rwandan Competence-Based-Curriculum (CBC) is being taught effectively.

 

In the past two years APIE has been working in partnership with World Vision within the Kiziba Camp in Karongi District.  We have trained 68 teachers, some of whom are refugees, how to implement the Ready to Learn programme, which will impact over 3,000 children living and learning in the camp.

 

“My approach to managing students has significantly improved since taking the R2L course. Previously, when students made noise in class, I would resort to physical punishment. However, after completing the course, I now handle such situations differently, opting for alternative disciplinary methods that do not involve any form of physical punishment,” Teacher 1, Female, P2

 

“Before taking the R2L course, my classroom lacked clear rules and policies. However, after completing the course, my classroom is now well-organized thanks to tools like a classroom contract, which I established in collaboration with my learners.” Teacher 5, Male, P6