The Ministry of Education has stated that it is facing a financing gap of Rwf26 billion for the salaries of approximately 8,000 teachers that it plans to hire for the upcoming academic year, beginning in September 2023. The disclosure was made on Friday, May 12, during the budget hearing for the fiscal year 2023/2024, in which the Ministry of Education and its affiliated agencies were presenting their projects and related funding allocations to the Lower House's Committee on Budget and Patrimony. ALSO READ: Over 12,000 teachers to be recruited The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Charles Karake, told lawmakers that the financing gap in question does not concern the already working and salaried teachers; rather, it is because they will recruit about 8,000 teachers next academic year, and there will be horizontal promotion and performance-based bonuses for teachers. He told The New Times that they include 4,000 pre-primary (nursery) teachers, 2,000 primary teachers, and 2,000 secondary teachers (including school administration). Karake said that the reasons for recruiting more teachers include the retirement of some, addressing overcrowding in schools by constructing more classrooms and increasing the number of teachers, and strengthening pre-primary education in order to support the Government in achieving its national strategy for transformation target. He stated that the government is constructing over 360 classrooms to cater for children’s pre-primary education. “We had a big gap in pre-primary education, but we are moving to address it,” he said. The participation rate of learners aged between 4-6 years (nursery age group) was 42.3 per cent, according to the 2020-2021 Education Statistical Yearbook by the Ministry of Education. The report recommended that there was a need to focus on enrolling children aged between 4-6 years, because the participation rate was still below 50 percent, as this is the crucial group for school readiness. ALSO READ: 40% expected to attend pre-primary school by 2024 ‘Teachers’ pay should be ensured’ MP Madina Ndangiza said that the salaries of teachers should be prioritised in budgeting, in order to address the indicated funding gap. “I think this gap of approximately Rwf26 billion is a very serious issue that should be given attention, as I think it would be difficult for a teacher to offer courses without being paid,” she said. Education Minister Valentine Uwamariya said that though a financing gap exists, they hope to work with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning as usual, so that the necessary funds are available to pay the teachers to be recruited. The Director General of the National Budget at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Rehema Namutebi, said that they would monitor the situation and make necessary adjustments to respond to teachers' remunerations. Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Lower House’s Committee on Education, Technology, Culture, and Youth, MP Veneranda Uwamariaya, said that, overall, overcrowding in schools was high, indicating that there are some cases where a classroom has up to 150 students, an issue that needs to be solved. ALSO READ: VIDEO: Inside Rwanda’s most overcrowded school
