Improved infrastructure enhances educational standards in Rwandan schools hosting refugees
Improved infrastructure enhances educational standards in Rwandan schools hosting refugees
The construction of new classrooms at GS Mugombwa, a school hosting both Rwandans and refugee students from Mugombwa camp in Gisagara District, has proven to be a game-changer. The alleviation of overcrowding has created an environment where students can more effectively engage with their teachers' explanations, enhancing the quality of education.
Sonia Nyiranziza, a senior five Rwandan student in Mathematics, Computer Science and Economics, says that before the construction of new classrooms, three or four students had to share a single bench. Now, two students comfortably sit on one bench, effectively reducing class overcrowding.
“Overpopulated classrooms often resulted in missed explanations from teachers. However, the decongestion of classrooms has significantly improved the learning environment,” Sonia shares. “With fewer students in each class, we can now follow the teachers' explanations more closely, leading to better understanding and interactions.”
The school, which is currently hosting 3,740 students including 2,001 refugees, benefited from 20 new classrooms in 2021 built as part of the Jya Mbere project which is funded by the World Bank and implemented by the Rwandan Ministry in charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA).
Refugee and Rwandan students make the most of their new classrooms at GS Mugombwa.
The head of the school, Father Jean de Dieu Harindintwari, says that before getting the new facilities they could count between 71 and 80 students in a classroom. Now, however, the student to class ratio has been reduced to 51 students per class. Despite this, there is still work to do. Father Harindintwari’s wish is to have eight more classrooms to reach the number of 46 students per class as set by the Rwandan Government for primary and secondary.
The construction of schools at GS Mugombwa is in line with pledges made by the Government of Rwanda at the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) in 2019. This commitment aimed to improve the quality of education in all refugee hosting schools by upgrading school infrastructure.
Significant progress has subsequently been made over the past four years. The World Bank has financed the construction of 51 classrooms and 70 latrines through Jya Mbere project at three schools hosting over 15,000 refugee students in Rwanda. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and its partners have also constructed 50 classrooms at schools neighboring Mugombwa, Mahama and Kiziba refugee camps, with 28 additional classrooms in Mahama camp expected to be complete by the end of 2023.
In addition to expanded classroom facilities, three computer labs were also built at GS Mugombwa which have been a huge asset to students learning, contributing further to the improvement of the quality of education.
The construction of new classrooms, including a computer lab, at GS Mugombwa has been life-changing for both refugee and Rwandan students.
Claude Rukundo, a Congolese refugee who is in senior five studying computer science, says that access to computers has played a crucial role in enhancing their learning experience, fostering a positive and conducive environment for education.
“We can now supplement our knowledge by searching for information on the internet, complementing the notes of our teachers,” he explains. “Before, some people were not even familiar with computers. They are extremely helpful.”
Moreover, Claude observes that the impact of these new school facilities reaches far beyond the enhancement of educational quality. They serve as vital hubs for fostering meaningful connections between refugees and their Rwandan hosts.
As the second GRF takes place in December 2023, UNHCR, working alongside the Rwandan government and partners, is remains committed to elevating the quality of education in all refugee-hosting schools across the country.