The government has announced it will soon roll out an effort to equip TVET schools across the country with smart classrooms. The smart classroom initiative seeks to equip Rwandan schools with ICT infrastructure that facilitates digitalisation of learning and teaching processes. Claudette Irere, the state minister for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), made the disclosure Friday, June 11 during the handover of a dummy cheque of Rwf100 million from MTN Foundation toward the project. Irere said the project will start with 10 TVET schools, which will receive 20 computers each. The schools are yet to be identified, she said. There are 800 TVET schools nationwide, according to Paul Umukunzi, the director-general of Rwanda TVET Board (RTB), a new body overseeing implementation of technical and vocational training programmes. “The ultimate goal is to have at least two computer labs per TVET school,” he said. “We have to incorporate ICT in every aspect of learning, step by step we will get there.” ‘Relevant education’ The smart classroom project was launched in 2018, with an aim of integrating ICT pedagogy and skills in education. An online platform, named smart class, was also established, with a view to facilitating students to access learning materials even when they are not physically at school. Irere said this is even more impactful currently with the uncertainties that come with the Covid-19 pandemic. “We will still educate students who are smart and relevant to the market, despite the difficulties from Covid-19.” Partnerships The ministry says it intends to have established computer labs in every secondary and TVET school by 2024. According to Irere, partnerships will play a key role in the implementation of the plan. “This kind of digitalization will help TVET students to access global insights into what they learn and build 21st-century skills,” Umukunzi said. He added that teachers will also have access to content prepared online and be able to improve their own knowledge.
