U.S. Government Supports Rwandan Children to Learn From Home

KIGALI – The U.S Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is committed to ensuring that the over 3 million students currently out of school due to school closures are continuing to learn from home.

In partnership with Rwanda Education Board (REB), USAID has developed Kinyarwanda radio lessons and audiovisual materials to support the remote learning of P1-P3 students in Rwanda. Parents and community members can help children develop their literacy skills by following the radio lessons and reading with children for at least 15 minutes a day.

In order to support student participation in the radio lessons, parents and community members should check REB’s Twitter account or ask a headteacher about the schedule of radio lessons for the week, and then tune in on the radio at the specified times. Students should be prepared with writing materials, such as a pen or pencil and notebook, in order to do practice activities during the radio lesson. If students have brought their Kinyarwanda textbook home with them, they should have that available during the lesson as well and be supported to practice even after the radio lesson has finished.

In order to supplement the radio program, USAID has also supported REB to produce a set of audiovisual Kinyarwanda learning materials for P1-P3 learners. These materials include PDF books and Read Aloud videos of the winning stories from REB’s Andika Rwanda national writing competitions. The PDF Andika Rwanda books allow students to practice reading at their own pace, while the Read Aloud videos include comprehension questions and activity ideas to engage students in additional learning. Each Andika Rwanda story was written by a Rwandan child and now REB is ensuring that these stories can be accessed in every home through YouTube, Twitter, WhatsApp, and REB’s eLearning portal (elearning.reb.rw), which education leaders and parents can access for free through the support of MTN Rwanda.

Although schools are closed, learning must continue – and literacy is foundational for learning. USAID is partnering with REB to ensure that all children in Rwanda learn how to read by the end of Grade 3, supporting children to continue developing their literacy skills in this time of school closures. Just a few minutes of reading each day will make a big impact on learning. Parents and community members are encouraged to access the digital materials and make time for reading with children every day.

USAID Rwanda Mission Director Leslie Marbury explained this program in a video announcement available at https://youtu.be/WldwCZr8TSg.