Why new project to strengthen early childhood education matters

Children who benefit from quality early learning are better prepared for primary school, more likely to stay engaged in education, and better equipped to contribute productively to society, according to Joseph Nsengimana, the Minister of Education. He made the remarks during the launch of a twinning project aimed at strengthening early childhood education and community support for learning in Rwanda. The two-year initiative marks the start of a collaboration focused on improving pre-primary education outcomes across the country. ALSO READ: Rwanda moves to improve early childhood development The project is expected to support national priorities under Rwanda’s Foundational Learning Strategy by strengthening teacher-training curricula, improving quality standards, and building institutional capacity in early childhood education. Speaking at the launch, Nsengimana said the initiative reflects a shared commitment to strengthening one of the most critical stages in the education journey, the early years. “Research and experience consistently show that the first years of life shape a child’s cognitive development, language abilities, curiosity, and confidence,” he said. “Children who benefit from quality early learning are better prepared for primary school, more likely to remain engaged in education, and better equipped to contribute productively to society.” For Rwanda, where the majority of the population is young, strengthening early childhood education is both a social priority and an economic imperative, the minister added. “A country’s long-term competitiveness is built not only in universities or laboratories, but also in the earliest stages of learning,” he said. Over the past several years, Rwanda has made steady progress in expanding access to early childhood education. The country has increased pre-primary enrolment, expanded learning spaces, and strengthened teacher preparation. ALSO READ: Call to fix learning quality, infrastructure gaps in ECD centres It has also introduced a competency-based pre-primary curriculum designed to nurture children’s curiosity, creativity, and social development through play-based learning. Looking ahead, Rwanda has set an ambitious goal of ensuring that 65 percent of children attend preschool by 2029. Despite the progress made, Nsengimana said several challenges remain. Demand for pre-primary education continues to grow, requiring more infrastructure and learning spaces. The education system must also increase the number of trained teachers and caregivers while ensuring classrooms are equipped with appropriate learning materials. Strengthening parental engagement and community support for early learning is another key priority. Nsengimana noted that addressing these challenges requires strong partnerships and learning from international experience. The newly launched EU twinning project is expected to play an important role in that effort. The project will support Rwanda in expanding access to pre-primary education and community-based early childhood development programmes. It will also help strengthen teacher training and play-based pedagogy, improve quality assurance and inspection systems, and promote greater parental and community engagement in children’s early learning. “We are particularly grateful to the governments of Finland and Lithuania for sharing their expertise and experience,” Nsengimana said. “Partnerships such as this allow countries to exchange knowledge, learn from proven practices, and strengthen institutions in ways that accelerate progress.” The minister added that the initiative also reflects the strong partnership between Rwanda and the European Union in advancing inclusive and sustainable development. Also speaking at the event, Belén Calvo Uyarra highlighted the significance of the twinning approach in strengthening cooperation between Rwanda and EU member states. “Twinning is an innovative form of cooperation that enables Rwanda and EU member states to learn from one another by sharing expertise and best practices,” she said. Through the initiative, public officials from Rwanda, Lithuania, and Finland will work side by side in both Rwanda and Europe to strengthen institutions, improve the quality and efficiency of public services, and support early childhood education reforms aligned with Rwanda’s national development goals and the EU’s Global Gateway initiative. While international cooperation creates the framework for such initiatives, Uyarra emphasised that their success ultimately depends on the commitment of communities. “It is the dedication of communities, parents, caregivers, and local leaders that ultimately brings these efforts to life and helps give Rwanda’s children the best possible start in life,” she said. She added that investing in early childhood education can have a far-reaching impact across the entire education system. “By working in the early stages of the education system, we positively influence the entire learning journey and support the development of a knowledge-based economy,” she said. According to Jonas Petkevičius, Vice Minister of Education, Science and Sports of Lithuania and one of the project leads, Rwanda’s commitment to investing in early childhood education reflects a forward-looking vision for national development. “Investing in young learners is investing in the very foundation of the nation’s future,” he said. “An educated child grows into a citizen who builds resilient institutions, drives innovation, and contributes to sustainable national development.” The initiative marks the first twinning project in the education sector between the European Union and Rwanda, and the second twinning project implemented in the country overall.

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Why new project to strengthen early childhood education matters