At Kwetu TVET-Kigali, one of the technical schools that were closed
The Ministry of education says Technical Education and Vocational Training (TEVT) schools that were closed for failing to offer sufficient practical lessons to students have a second chance and will be assessed before reopen reopening for next academic year for 2021/2022.
In December last year, twenty (20) TVET schools were closed for reportedly possessing inadequate teaching materials that affected the quality of education in the vocational area where Rwanda is looking forward to improving.
The TVET schools were closed after the ministry of education inspection was conducted from August to September 2020.
They will be assessed by Rwanda TVET Board in collaboration with the Ministry of education before the academic year for 2021/2022 starts in September.
“Their closure was needed. When you teach without basic requirements, we don’t reach our target of capable vocational graduates. They were closed, but also were given a chance to fulfill requirements and operate in the future,” Claudette Irere, Minister of State in charge of ICT and TVET said on Friday 11.
“We are soon to the next academic year, they will be assessed before and allowed to reopen, if they are ready,” Irere said.
She added that only those that fulfil the requirements will be reopened.
Some of the closed TVET schools included Murama and Ikirezi TVET schools both in Bugesera district, Eastern province, Apem Ruli in Gakenke district and EMVTC School in Kicukiro – Kigali.
Possible reopening was announced during the handover of MTN’s contribution of Rwf100million to the Rwanda TVET Board to establish ten smart classrooms across the country, to improve the practical learning, research, and innovation skills for students.
“Studying vocational skills is different from conventional schools; we rarely need pens and books. All we need is teaching materials because it is practical not theory. If we are to teach students mechanics as a course, we need a sample of engines and not engines from used cars,” Dr. Alex Ruberwa, deputy vice-chancellor in charge of administration and Finance at Rwanda polytechnic warned last year during the teachers’ day.
Ruberwa added that to learn mechanics, a student needs to see a new engine from a new car, play with it as many times as possible. But some schools and students don’t have money for these teaching materials.
The government targets to have 60% of students completing the Nine Year Basic Education join vocational schools by 2024. However, the available figures from WDA indicate that only 52% join them.
