The Ministry of Education on Tuesday, August 11, announced that the ongoing countrywide classroom construction programme is at an advanced level. “The ongoing countrywide school construction of the Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Development project phase 1 is at 81% on one-story classrooms, 85% for latrines and 45% for G+1,” Mineduc said through a tweet. G+1 are buildings that are double storied classroom blocks. Additionally, Mineduc said the overall progress of Phase 2 that has also started is 14% countrywide. Flavia Salafina, the information, education and communication specialist at the Ministry of Education explained that the classroom construction is partly funded by the World Bank in its two-phase project. In a bid to curb overcrowding and long distances travelled by students going to and returning from schools, the Ministry of Education in June embarked on a plan to construct 22,505 classrooms. The plan, according to reports, is expected to be implemented in all 30 districts of the country by September this year. According to the ministry, the construction is being funded jointly by both the government with a contribution worth Rwf96.4 billion, as well as the World Bank’s credit financing worth US$200 million (around Rwf180 billion) that was signed last year. However, only US$126 million is reserved for the component of reducing overcrowding, the rest of the funds from the World Bank are allocated to other activities like training of teachers and construction of TTC schools. Of the total 22,505 classrooms, 17,414 will be for primary schools, 3,591 for secondary schools and remaining 1,500 classrooms will be for nursery schools. Districts to receive the most classrooms include Nyagatare where 1,240 classrooms will be constructed, Rubavu District (1,201 classrooms), Gatsibo District (1,193 classrooms) and Gasabo District (1,074 classrooms) among others.
