As Kigali hosts the UCI World Championships, schools across the city are among the services that will temporarily close from September 21 to 28 to allow the eight-day championship to take place. Despite the temporary closure, school administrators say measures have been put in place to ensure that learners remain engaged in their studies. Various school officials told The New Times that students have been given structured assignments and online learning options to continue their academic activities. ALSO READ: Rwanda ready for UCI World Championships, says minister Mukazayire For example, at Ecole Technique St Joseph de Nyamirambo in Nyarugenge District, Senior Five and Six students were given exercises to complete and submit via email or through the school’s e-learning platform. According to the dean of studies, Christian Dushimimana, the assignments mainly cover theoretical aspects of technical courses such as construction. ALSO READ: Kigali's school calendar set to be adjusted as UCI comes to city For fields like software development, where practical work is possible to be conducted remotely, teachers will continue to interact with students online, he added. “The students have been provided with exercises to work on while at home. Teachers will review their work when classes resume,” he said, noting that the school is still working to familiarise students with digital learning platforms. ALSO READ: THROUGH THE LENS: Kigali in final preps of UCI Road World Championships At Kagarama Secondary School in Kicukiro District, both boarding and day students were given different arrangements. Headteacher Samuel Nkurunziza explained that day students were provided with take-home assignments on Friday, September 19, while boarding students will remain on campus under close supervision. “We had enough time to prepare. Teachers were asked to give assignments to students studying from home. For boarding students, some teachers will remain on-site to guide them in their revision,” Nkurunziza said. He added that teachers have also been encouraged to liaise with parents to share additional assignments via WhatsApp or email. “There are even students with access to personal email accounts.” At GS Bumbogo in Gasabo District, a day school serving learners from primary to Senior Six, students were given home study packages. The deputy headteacher in charge of discipline emphasised that the school cautioned students against treating the break as a holiday. “We reminded them that this is not a holiday. We urged students, especially those in lower secondary and primary, to stay safe. Some may be tempted to wander far from home to watch the cycling event, which could expose them to risks such as accidents or getting lost,” the deputy headteacher said. He added that students were encouraged to follow educational programmes on radio and television, a method that proved useful during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Jean Mfurayase, the headteacher of Lycée de Kigali, said day students were given printed assignments to work on during the week. “Some students may not have reliable internet access or the ability to follow online lessons, which would disadvantage them. That is why we opted to provide hard copies of assignments for each subject,” he explained. For boarding students, regular revision sessions have been scheduled in line with the school timetable. In each subject, two top-performing students will lead the sessions under the supervision of school officials. Mfurayase added that learners will also be given time to watch the UCI Championships on television.
