Experts question extended learning hours in Rwanda new curriculum
The East African - 5 hours ago
Too much workload and little time for play could affect children's
learning ability, teachers have warned as the country prepares to
switch to a new curriculum.
The curriculum, slated to come into place beginning January next year,
will see class hours increased from 36 weeks to 39 weeks a year to
meet Unesco standards. The international organisation's standards
require at least 900 hours per year for learners in lower grade.
The increase in learning hours will see core subjects taking a lion
share of hours while elective subjects and other extra-curricular
activities take relatively less hours.
However, education experts have raised concerns that giving children a
lot of homework and theoretical courses could deter their spirit and
love for studying.
"Some teachers still use the Maria Montessori methodology, where a
child is treated as a mere glass that needs to be filled with school
lessons," said Jean Philbert Ontesi, a Unicef consultant from Nigeria.
Officials from the government on the other hand said that one of the
reasons for increasing school hours is to provide time for learners'
leisure time.
According to Joyce Musabe, who is in charge of the Department of
Curricula and Materials Production and Distribution Department at the
Rwanda Education Board, the new curriculum will take the requirements
into consideration.
"In primary for example we have seen that a child cannot concentrate
beyond 40 minutes, thus in an hour of 50 minutes, the 10 remaining
minutes will be dedicated for such exercises," she said.
Ms Musabe added that unlike the current curriculum, the new one will
provide more content on physical education; creative arts; religion;
civic education, and will encourage school to organise trips for
learners during vacations.
"Some of these apprenticeships will be compulsory and will be
examined, hence the need for teachers and school leaders to put more
emphasis and efforts to establish what is lacking," she added.
Rwanda has registered progress in its education system that for over
half a century has moved from being discriminative, elitist, divisive
to an inclusive system today.
Despite these achievements, teachers still complain about the lack of
basic facilities to implement extra-curricular activities.
"Some schools do not have playgrounds or other leisure equipment,
which could see learners over burdened with a lot of studying," said
Cecile Uwamariya a head mistress in Gitesi Primary school in Karongi
district.
Minister of Education Vincent Biruta confirmed that in the new
curriculum, which is currently going through numerous reviews, some
courses like Mathematics and Social Sciences will increase in hours.
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SIBOMANA Jean Bosco
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