When Veneranda Mukaneza’s son began showing signs of autism at the age of two, she feared he would never walk, talk, or smile again.

The boy who lives with his family in Muhanga District stopped speaking, could no longer walk, and often showed no emotional response.

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"We started seeking medical treatment,” Mukaneza recalled, "but the cost was too high, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, it became even harder.”

He is now nine years old.

The turning point came when the headteacher of GS Shaki in Nyabinoni Sector found the boy at home in his village and encouraged his parents to enroll him.

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In 2023, the family agreed, and the child joined the pre-primary class. Although they had earlier received limited medical support from a local well-wisher, it was at school, through play-based learning, that his condition began to improve.

"After some time at school, he started smiling again,” Mukaneza said.

"He learned to walk and now follows instructions, even though he still cannot speak. He plays with other children and remembers everything he learns. His memory has really improved.”

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Teachers say Mukaneza’s story reflects a broader transformation in classrooms that have adopted the play-based learning approach.

Adelphine Ingabire, an Early Childhood Education mentor at Ecole Primaire Murambi in Bugesera District, said the approach has changed how teachers and children interact.

"We used to blame children for poor performance. After being trained on play-based learning, we realised that the old, rigid methods were not engaging them. Now, children enjoy lessons, attend regularly, and learn better, and teachers also enjoy teaching.”

Pierrot Muvunyi, the headteacher of GS Gishaka in Gasabo District, said that after adopting the approach in 2023, his school saw remarkable changes in classroom participation.

"Learners are joyful and fully engaged. They learn by doing, even without long explanations. It has helped teachers save time and focus more on creativity and interaction,” Muvunyi said.

He added that new observation tools introduced under the Twigire mu Mikino Rwanda, a project by VSO Rwanda, an NGO, and Rwanda Basic Education Board (REB), have helped school leaders support teachers more effectively.

According to Flora Mutezigaju, Deputy Director General of REB, the project has reached more than 2,000 pre-primary teachers since 2021, equipping them with skills to design and deliver well-structured lesson plans.

"Play-based learning has become central to how we deliver quality education,” she said.

"It builds teacher confidence, ensures effective use of teaching materials, and supports inclusive learning. REB will continue integrating these approaches into the national education strategy.”

Sarah Challoner, Project Implementation Lead at VSO Rwanda, said the initiative was designed to help teachers understand that play is a child’s most natural way to learn.

"We wanted to ensure that every teacher, headteacher, and local education officer understood and valued play-based learning,” she explained.

"We have seen more creative teaching, better classroom environment, and parents becoming more engaged in their children’s education.”

The four-year project, which concluded this month, supported around 200 children with special needs across the country, providing tailored learning support, equipment, and medical assistance.