The government’s renewed push to enforce compliance with the mandatory English Proficiency Training Programme deserves strong public support.
The initiative is not about punishment or bureaucratic box-ticking; it is about safeguarding the quality of education and ensuring that learners receive instruction that equips them for a globalised world.
English is the medium of instruction across Rwanda’s education system. When teachers lack confidence or competence in the language, the effects ripple far beyond grammar mistakes.
ALSO READ: Inside Rwf32bn plan to boost teachers’ English proficiency
Lessons become rigid, interaction is reduced, critical thinking suffers, and learners struggle to grasp complex concepts. Strengthening teachers’ English proficiency is therefore inseparable from improving learning outcomes.
The Rwanda Education Board’s decision to tighten oversight follows evidence that non-compliance was driven less by genuine constraints than by reluctance among some teachers. This distinction matters.
The government and its partners have invested heavily in making the programme accessible: online platforms, trained focal points in every school, weekly CPD time set aside for learning, provision of computers, and dedicated technical support.
When such measures are in place, continued refusal to participate becomes a question of professional responsibility.
Importantly, the enforcement framework is balanced. Teachers are asked to explain non-participation, districts are required to verify whether reasons are valid, and support is emphasised alongside accountability.
This approach recognises teachers as professionals who can be guided and assisted, not merely sanctioned. The early results are telling: within a week, more than 4,000 teachers moved into active or on-track categories. That kind of shift suggests that clarity and firmness, when combined with support, can change behaviour.
Raising teachers to at least a B2 level in English is not an arbitrary target. It is the minimum threshold for effective communication, confident classroom engagement, and meaningful interaction with curriculum materials.
As teachers improve, so does their ability to explain concepts clearly, encourage discussion, assess learners fairly, and adapt lessons to diverse needs.
In the long run, the benefits extend beyond classrooms. Better English proficiency enhances teachers’ professional growth, access to resources, and participation in regional and international education networks.
For learners, it means stronger foundations for higher education, employment, and global citizenship.
Education reforms succeed when expectations are clear and consistently enforced. By matching accountability with support, REB is reinforcing a simple but vital message: continuous learning is not optional in a profession entrusted with shaping the nation’s future.