REB, Partners launch Andika Rwanda 2019 Competition
Andika Rwanda 2019 Launched
The Rwanda Education Board and its partners have launched Andika Rwanda 2019 National Writing Competition which invites Rwandans to write stories and poems especially for children, to encourage their love of reading from a young age.
Andika Rwanda is a REB initiative supported by USAID Soma Umenye. The launch took place on Monday 5th November 2018 in Rusizi District at Nkombo Island.
The Official launch of Andika Rwanda was coincided with an early learning awareness activity organized by the Rwanda Education Board (REB) held in Rusizi District from November 4th to November 5th 2018, to demonstrate the Government of Rwanda’s commitment to ensure the provision of high-quality early grade learning (Pre-Primary to P3) in Rwanda
The activity centered around outreach to Nkombo Sector, an island in Lake Kivu which has three primary schools and where the visiting delegation met with teachers, community members, and education leaders to discuss the importance of early learning for social and economic transformation.
“Ensuring access to high-quality early learning requires adequate support for infrastructure, pedagogy, and learning materials, among others and therefore, the activity was marked by visits to education development partners’ activities in the region which aim to support the provision of early learning.” Reads part of the statement from REB.
The statement adds that education activities taking place include trainings being conducted in Kamembe for Head Teachers and TTC Tutors by VVOB and BLF, respectively, as well as demonstrations of effective early grade teaching of Kinyarwanda supported by USAID Soma Umenye, effective early grade teaching of mathematics and English by BLF, and literacy promotion through community reading clubs by Mureke Dusome.
Teaching and Learning Materials to support Early Learning were handed over to the Head Teacher of St. Pierre Primary, including P1 Kinyarwanda Textbooks, Pupils Activity Books for P1 and P2 English and Mathematics, and early childhood education toolkits.
The activity was closed by the Launch of Andika Rwanda 2019 National Writing Competition and the closing of the National Literacy Month.
The delegation included the Minister of State for Primary and Secondary Education, Dr. Isaac Munyakazi, the USAID Mission Director in Rwanda, Leslie Marbury, the Vice-Mayor of Social Affairs in Rusizi District, Emmanuel Nsigaye, the Director General of Rwanda Education Board (REB), Dr. Irénée Ndayambaje, the Flemish Association for Development Cooperation and Technical Assistance (VVOB), the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), and the Building Learning Foundations (BLF), officials from Rusizi District, teachers and local stakeholders.
The purpose of Rwanda’s National Literacy Month 2018 was to spur children and adults throughout Rwanda to read, write, and embrace literacy as the foundation for learning, a tool for life and a means for individuals to contribute to Rwanda’s national ambitions. This year’s theme was: “Read a book, write your future.”
Andika Rwanda is a national competition inviting Rwandans to write stories and poems especially for children, to encourage their love of reading from a young age.
In his general remarks, Dr. Isaac Munyakazi, the Minister of State for Primary and Secondary Education, emphasized the importance of quality education to achieve foundational skills in literacy, numeracy, and English. He also appreciated all partners; whose interventions play an important role in early learning programs in Rwanda.
He said: “The Ministry of Education was happy to collaborate with the Ministry of Sports and Culture and Rwanda Reads to make National Literacy Month a huge success, and we expect a big impact to improve the culture of reading in Rwanda. As we continue our collaboration, we will continue to encourage more people to read books, buy books and borrow books.”
USAID SOMA UMENYE (“Read and Know”) is a program for P1-P3 students and is administered in partnership with REB. USAID Soma Umenye targets every public and government-aided school in Rwanda with a goal of improving the reading abilities of at least one million students. USAID Soma Umenye supports teachers, head teachers and district education teams with training and works alongside REB on systemic changes to education. Soma Umenye is providing new textbooks for every P1, P2 and P3 student (one book per child), providing classroom libraries with supplementary readers for every P1, P2 and P3 classroom, training all P1, P2 and P3 teachers, all head teachers, DEOs and SEOs, to ensure a systemic focus on the improvement of early grade reading. Soma Umenye is also working with REB to support early grade reading assessment in schools, districts and nationally.
Building Learning Foundations (BLF) is an intiative of MINEDUC and REB; funded by the British people through UK’s Department for International Development (DFID). The programme is focused on improving learning outcomes in lower primary education (P1 to P3) in English and Mathematics in all government and government aided primary schools. This is intended to improve the pupils’ learning achievement in higher grades, thereby increasing equitable access to primary and secondary education in Rwanda. The programme is structured around three interdependent Foundations; teacher development, leadership for learning and system strengthening. Running through these is reinforcement of inclusive education practices for children with special educational needs.
MUREKE DUSOME (“Let’s Read”) is a community project that’s part of MINEDUC and USAID’s strategy to establish and support a culture of reading throughout Rwanda. The program builds school-community partnerships and family engagement in children’s education. Mureke Dusome also works to increase the quality and quantity of Kinyarwanda children’s books, and increase opportunities for students to read outside of school. The project is implemented nationwide by Save the Children in partnership with Umuhuza and Urunana DC.
The Flemish Association for Development Cooperation and Technical Assistance (VVOB) aims to contribute to poverty reduction and to a fairer world with increased opportunities for all. VVOB partners with REB to sustainably improve the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of education and training in primary education, general secondary education, school leadership and induction of new teachers.
