Inadequate skills and lack of commitment among teachers is affecting the implementation of learner-centred learning in the country. The observation was made on Wednesday in Huye District during a workshop that brought together teachers and researchers from religious schools and higher learning institutions in the country. The workshop was intended to discuss proper implementation of participatory and active pedagogy (PAP) as an appropriate method for effective teaching and learning process. Alphonse Nshimiyimana, a teacher and director of academic assurance at the Catholic University of Rwanda, said people who take the education career as a sheer business are also partly to blame. “They are driven by money in the teaching career, they have no commitment or passion for the profession, which makes their contribution to education mediocre and questionable,” he said. Other factors affecting learner-centred learning include lack of motivation for teachers, lack of academic materials and poor school infrastructure. Reverend Samuel Mutabazi, the director of the National Office of Protestant Education, said PAP was introduced in 1998, but the problem lies in its implementation. “The problem which still affects effective implementation of the system is that some conservative teachers are still clinging onto the traditional pedagogy, where a teacher talks throughout the lesson and does not allow students to actively participate in the learning process,” he said. “This is because they studied under such pedagogy, and a person gives what they have.” PAP is intended to make students active participants in their learning, with an ultimate goal to make them competent in the job market. It is also aimed at discouraging cram work for marks. Mutabazi said there is need for more training for teachers who have knowledge in various subjects, but have difficulties delivering lessons. He, however, noted that the new school curriculum due to come into force in 2016 is expected to improve learner-centred learning since its competency-based. Dr Quinet Obed Niyikiza, a teacher at the Protestant Institute of Arts and Social Sciences, appealed for equipping teachers with relevant skills to implement the PAP and module system. “The PAP system should allow teachers assess the students’ performance through group work, brainstorming, accepting feedback from students and engaging students in interactive learning,” he noted. The module system was introduced in Rwanda’s higher learning institutions in 2009. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
