Connecting primary schools to internet must be fully supported

The government, through Rwanda Basic Education Board, has announced plans to increase three-fold the number of primary schools that are connected to the internet to at least 60 per cent in the next two years. With the total primary schools in the country being about 3,000 countrywide, it means that by 2024, at least 1,800 of them will be connected to the internet by the year 2024. Currently, only 20 per cent of these are connected. This is a commendable development that should be supported by everyone involved to ensure these aspirations are achieved. The government of Rwanda has set out an ambitious plan to build a knowledge-based economy on which the country’s development will be anchored. For this to be achieved, digital literacy must be a priority to help build a critical mass of tech-savvy Rwandans to drive this. Scientifically, it has been proven that ICT resources not only provide the tools for promoting and developing these skills among children, but also encourages them to engage confidently in imaginative learning and makes teaching and learning more effective and fun for everyone involved. It will also go a long way in ensuring children develop interest at an early age in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects and inculcate in them innovation which is critical for any country to develop. It has been said, over and again, that the country’s most important resource is its people, more than any natural resource that can be found underground. And this calls for deliberate effort to ensure these people are well equipped in terms of human capital to make meaningful contribution towards national development. That said, having this ambition is one thing, but for it to yield the intended results requires a curriculum that can accommodate those aspirations. This will therefore call for continuous review of the national curriculum. The best thing is that we will not have to reinvent the wheel. There are countries which have made significant strides in this regard on which we can benchmark and tailor to our own context.

Opinions

Connecting primary schools to internet must be fully supported