Beginning of term: How prepared are you?

As the first term for this academic year opened, the State Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Isaac Munyakazi, carried out visits to different schools to assess if schools, teachers and students are ready. Among the schools visited was Ecole Privee’ Marie Auxiliatrice in Kigali, College Saint Andre Nyamirabo, Kigali International Christian school, La colombiere in Gasabo and EP Birwogo in Nyamirambo, among others. According to the minister, the main objective was to find out how prepared the schools are for the new term. With the new year, some students are moving to another level, while others are nervous or excited about this new chapter. Parents, on the other hand, haven’t been spared of this anxiety as many have to scratch everywhere for school fees. However, strenuous as it may be, all parties involved must get ways to cope, especially after a long holiday. Tips to teachers and students According to education experts, giving students a lot of class work immediately after a long holiday subjects them to uncalled for pressure resulting into a poor start. Anastanse Muhayimana, a computer science teacher at GS Gakoro in Musanze District, says making student’s share their experiences about their holidays helps them to settle in well and enables them to enjoy their initial classroom experience. “Such open discussions help in making the learning environment relaxed. It also provides room for students to learn from each other’s stories. Basically, this is the only way of making them get adapted to the learning system again,” he says. Students going back to school. Parents should ensure their children have all school requirements so that they start the term without inconveniences . / Lydia Atieno. For those who are stressed and upset because they failed end of year exams, Muhayimana says as a school, they always give a chance to reseat the exams so that they can have a chance to perform better and move to the next level. This according to him, breaks the tension, enabling them feel comfortable and valued, as well as providing such students a second chance to work hard again. Additionally, Cathy Mbabazi, a Sunday school teacher at St. Michel Cathedral in Kigali, says engaging students in sporting activities helps refresh and set their minds to get back in a learning mood. “The games improve the thinking capacity of students, especially those who didn’t have a chance to play with their colleagues while at home. As they play and mingle, it becomes easier for them to adapt to the learning environment,” she says. On the other hand, Mbabazi insists that since it’s a new year, those students moving to the next class should be tested on their knowledge what they covered in the previous class. However, she adds that this should be done only orally. “It should be oral because students always enjoy open talk. They are able to learn from others unlike the written format that will bring tension, which is not good especially during the first days of the term,” she says. Paul Ogaa, the dean of students at Green Hills Academy, believes that the first one week should be for taking students through the new regulations and what is expected of them. “Instead of tests in the first week, helping students set new goals, most preferably on academic work, is ideal. Also encouraging those who didn’t do better the previous year to pull up their socks is good,” he says. Student of College Saint Andre Nyamirabo, Kigali, have lunch on the first day of the school’s opening . / Lydia Atieno. According to Ogaa, this prevents tension and anxiety among students. Schools, he adds, should also be in a position to provide students with all the necessary materials for learning. Depending on the level of the child, Ogaa says teachers should make sure they give them a study plan for the new term, which is particularly important for those moving to a new class. He emphasizes that what largely helps students to get into the learning mode a gain following a long holiday depends on the way teachers handle them. Parents should also make sure their kids have all the requirements to avoid frustration at school. A word to parents Sister Elizabeth Furaha, the in-charge of academics at Ecole Privee Marie Auxiliatric in Kigali, says parents being stressed by ‘January blues’ is no new thing, but adds that they communicate to the school administration about their challenges. “They should make a good conversation between them and school administrators. For instance, parents should be bold enough to explain to schools their financial status and request more time in which to pay school dues and propose payment plans,” she says. At College Saint Andrew in Nyamirambo, Kigali, the head master, Fr Lambert Dusingizimana, urges parents who don’t have enough fees to come to school earlier and share their issues with administrators. “Schools should be willing to listen to parents’ grievances and work with them on how they can be helped,” he says. For schools that open with examinations, Dusingizimana says, the motive behind should be clear to students and parents. “For example, in cases where students want to dodge school in the opening days, teachers should come up with such exams as a way of making sure everyone reports to school in time,” he says. Furaha says for new students, schools and teachers ought to have an integration mechanism. “Teachers should find time to take them through school rules, what is expected and encourage them to find new friends so that they feel welcome. She, however, cautions that harsh punishments should be avoided to help students adapt to the learning environment. Parents’ take Paul Umuhire, a resident of Gasobo says parents have a big role in ensuring their children are ready for learning. “The schools where my children go give tests in the first week of opening. It’s my responsibility to ensure that the last few weeks before school opens, they revise their books in preparation for the exams a head,” he says. Umuhire adds that for any child to succeed, it largely depends on what they receive from their parents back at home. “Communicating to a child is very crucial and important, especially those with adolescents. It helps them to be more open to you, which becomes easier to know what they want or what they may be going through,” says Natasha Shimwa, a parent from Kimihirura, Kigali. She adds that another aspect is letting your child list things they need at school. “Going shopping with them helps them pick exactly what they want. This way a child is motivated to be more prepared to work hard when schools open,” she says. What the ministry says According Munyakazi, the Ministry of Education has already launched a school hygiene campaign countrywide in order to make the learning environment for every student conducive. Also a monitoring team is in place to make sure that the guidelines provided by the Ministry of Education are implemented, for instance, by ensuring schools have sufficient teaching and learning materials in place. He says that school leaders are working closely with Rwanda Education Board and Workforce Development Authority to ensure the provision of teaching and learning materials countrywide, especially textbooks aligned to the competency-based curriculum. “Ideally, for the readiness of the school, a 1:1 textbook /pupil ratio is the preferred option for every subject taught in school, but this is dictated by the available budget, “Every year, the Government provides necessary teaching and learning materials which is done in close collaboration with different stakeholders including parents and guardians,” he says. Munyakazi appeals to parents to always have a budget for the new year, adding that this is why the school calendar comes out early to guide parents and schools on how to prepare for the year in good time. *** STUDENTS VIEWS Comfort Igabe, a student at Green Hills AcademyFor me, I always feel uncomfortable in the first one week of opening. This is because I have to make some adjustments to fit in a new class. It can also be stressful in cases where one has to meet new teachers and students. Teachers should be helpful in such situations. -- Maurine Umutoniwase, S5 student at Kigali ParentsDue to the long holiday, some of us get used to being dependent on our parents. Changing again to become independent when school opens is challenging, especially those in a boarding school. However, coping is easy with support and encouragement from both parents and teachers. -- Claudine Uwamahoro, S4 student at Ecose Musambira SchoolIt’s challenging to adapt to new topics when one has moved to another class. Most of the time moving to new class means upgrading, and some of the new concepts tend to be more difficult compared to the previous level. But within two weeks one should have adjusted. -- Yvonne Rwagasana, S6 student, Green Hills AcademyIn cases where we have to meet new teachers it can be challenging for one to get along. On the other hand, getting overwhelmed with emotions when departing from your family can take one time to get over it, especially for those students who study in boarding schools.