ProblemDefinition–TeachersProfessional-GeSCI.docVIP

Problem Definition – Teachers Professional Development in the area of ICT in Education 1. Background: As of 2008, the education system in Rwanda comprised of 3 levels: Primary (classes 1 to 6), Secondary (classes 7 to 12) and Tertiary Education. From the academic year 2009, the primary schools have been converted into 9 year basic education wherein the existing primary schools have been advised to accommodate the class 7 students for the year 2009. Over a period of next 2-3 years time, the plan is to build adequate physical infrastructure at the primary schools and make it as Basic Education Schools which will cater to P1-P9. Where the physical infrastructure is a really challenge and the students strength is more, the MINEDUC has advised those schools to operate with dual shift. Unfortunately, the teachers have not been increased in these schools hence it’s obvious that the teachers are overloaded in these schools. The existing secondary schools which use to cater to S1-S6 i.e., classes 7-12 till last year, the focus has been changed to classes 10-12. During next three years period, it will be streamlined to accommodate only S4-S6 i.e., classes 10-12. In addition, these schools will also accommodate the Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) program which has been started from this year. The most important policy change of the government is that the medium of instruction from primary to secondary has been changed to English from the academic year 2009. Earlier, the Kinya-rwanda was the medium of instruction in Primary and French / English was the medium of instruction in secondary. However, the Kinya-rwanda / English / French English will continue as first / second / third language in the curriculum. Therefore, the tremendous amount of capacity building is required for the teachers to start using the English as medium of instruction. The efforts are on by the MINEDUC in this direction in partnership with British Council for content as well as fin