Transcript OPENING REMARKS AT THE WORKSHOP ON “TEACHER …

WORKSHOP ON “TEACHER
PROFESHIONAL
DEVELOPMENT FOR
TOMORROW -TODAY.”
NCDC- REMERA, 27-29, 2009
Hon Minister of Education.
Hon Minister of State in Charge of Primary and
Secondary Education.
Permanent Secretary, Mineduc
Facilitators to this Workshop: Mary Hooker
Patti Swarts
Different Presenters
Invited Participants
Ladies and Gentlemen
Theme: “Teacher Professional Development
for Tomorrow, Today”
• The theme should be considered, analyzed and
treated in Rwanda’s context of Education which
seeks to fit in with Rwanda’s vision 2020 that
aspires to develop a knowledge-based and
technology led Economy. In that general
orientation, we learn that “in many of Rwanda’s
Development policies, human resource
development is highlighted as one of the pillars
of National Development. The importance of
education and training is underscored as a
linchpin in achieving sustainable National
Development.
• To achieve the above, it is a direct call for
Rwanda to develop a system of
education which is capable of producing
men and women who are well educated,
qualified in various areas, citizens capable
to uphold educational values, knowledge,
skills and competencies that would enable
them to be entrepreneurial in their own
learning, thinking and doing.
• In the policy document: Economic Development
and Poverty Reduction Strategy [EDPRS],
education is sought: “to contribute towards
economic development and poverty
reduction by making education more relevant
for social and economic progress. (2)
• The challenge today is how to invent, adapt
education to the national will and make more
relevant and meaningful thus leading to the
strategic goals of the Vision 2020.
• Several directions leading to the achievement
and the realization of the educational objectives
should be seen towards relevant curriculum and
it is not a surprise that we should be holding this
seminar in the very space, NCDC where most
educational programs originate.
• Rwanda will have to inject in the renovated
system of education based on the learner
centered pedagogy a strong dose of ICT as an
important pillar to move Rwanda forward
towards greater heights in education.
• In EDPRS, it is stated clearly that Rwanda
adopts science and technology and it is
stipulated that ICT in education as a matter of
policy is put in place in 2008. Are we updated?
What can be done to catch up?
• Looking at MINEDUC’s ICT Policy statement on
ICT, it puts emphasis on the support of its
organizational activities and operations within
the framework of the national ICT-led
development vision. However, the intention is
clear, MINEDUC seeks to make ICT more
meaningful, more effective in the delivery of
educational products for improved teaching and
learning.
• Partners in this educational enterprise are called
upon to fall suit to ICT venture based on four
major areas:
1. Preparing all sectors of education system
to understand the investment in and
value of technology.
2. Preparing schools to accept technology,
preparing and installing the technology.
3. Implement education management,
information system (MIS) and providing
on going technical support
4. Developing and managing content and
integrating curriculum”
• The integration of IT in our way of life, in our
education system come from the national
consideration based on the will to change and
adapt ourselves to global changes will lead to
the betterment of all. The words of His
Excellency, Paul Kagame, President of the
Republic of Rwanda are eloquent and say it all.
• “Communications technology has
fundamentally changed the way people live,
work and interact socially, and we in Rwanda
have no intention of being left behind or
standing still as the rest of the globe moves
forward at an ever increasing pace. Some
might say that we are overarching but with a
positive outlook, strategic work and support
from ou partners.
• I am fully confident that we can exploit the
potential of ICT in order to achieve our vision
of a modern economyfor Rwanda and a
secure and prosperous future for all.”
We all know what are the different achievements
so far in ICT, just to mention a few:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
One laptop per child
Providing computers and their accessories to schools
General sensitization on the use of ICT
Internet in institutions, schools, internet cafes
Visibly Information Technology and Communication
Technology are gaining the momentum in Rwanda, all
that is needed is to give them a push.
Higher education with computer laboratories to train
ICT graduates in general and particularly to train
teachers who will become ICT teachers in Secondary
Schools and Teacher Training Colleges. The latter will
be able to train other future teachers in TTC’s for
Primary Schools.
Allow show you, by using Kigali Institute of
Education (KIE), by some examples how some
initiatives could indicate attempts leading to the
professional development of a teacher/a lecturer.
• Through collective efforts and institutional
support, all lecturers are equipped with individual
laptops. This mechanism allows every lecturer to
own a laptop and hence be able to do internet
research and prepare the documents at will. This
makes a lecturer autonomous and there is no
rush as before when computers for lecturers were
few.
• The work has become better. The access to
computers and internet in the respective staff
offices has led to regular presence of the lecturers
on the campus instead of going outside at the
internet cafés or in campus collective room.
• In May 2009, the first group of lecturers will
undertake the training in the application of ICT
mechanisms as applicable to teaching and
learning. This will involve 20 lecturers from KIE
and 20 lecturers from KIST. If this proves to be
popular the program will be open as need
arises.
• The intention behind this training is to enable
Professors, Senior Lecturers, Lecturers, and
Assistant Lecturers to be at ease with the use of
the communication / teaching tools which were
not there at the time of their training in their
respective universities. To catch up with the
changing times of ICT it is a must and the
response on part of beneficiaries is highly
positive.
• The bigger the number of students with limited number
of computer obviously that leads to higher ratio of
students for one computer. This presents challenges and
obliges the Department of Computer Sciences the
Faculty and the Management of KIE to continue search
for solutions in order to meet immediate challenges. In
short the challenges are:
• Many students wanting to register for ICT module
• Limited number of computers leading to high student/
computer ratio.
• Few mmbers of staff to cater for a high number of
students (student/staff ratio remains high)
• Limited number of space (laboratories/ classrooms)
• Lack of qualified laboratory technicians
• To strengthen the Teacher Professional Development
(TPD) in an ICT improved environment in Rwanda, is not
an isolated initiative. It must be a collective and
coordinated effort by all stakeholders. Individual and
scattered initiatives could be more useful and certainly be
helped if intergrated in district, provincial and national
networks.
•
Amore structured and well elaborated curriculum on
module system would avoid various initiatives some
reffered to as better than the other. This is where NCDC
becomes instrumental an initiator and a coordinator. On
top of it all why not imagine an ICT observatory at the
Ministry of Education in order to monitor the progress,
know what is going on and continue to see that
Educational Sector is in line with ICT targets hence
leading Educational Sector to meet its objectives and
complement in the fulfillment of Vision 2020
• In conclusion, getting to know through research, what has
been going on, what is on now in ICT initiatives, remains
the best way to plan and reinforce ICT capacity in order to
reinforce the initiatives in Teacher Professional
Development for ICT in our Country. It is our task during
these three days to assess where we are with ICT
initiatives, identify challenges, propose ways and means of
how develop further TPD.
• The ICT wheel is on, we are not inventing it in Rwanda.
We are only trying to climb on ICT bandwagon with a
determined will in order to benefit fully from it. Taking into
consideration what exists and working out different
scenarios to see which ones suit better for Rwanda is our
task. In the process, show how to bridge the gap and up
date old trends of training teachers and frame out new
trends and scenarios for Teacher Professional
Development particularly for ICT.
THANK YOU AND I WISH YOU
FRUITFUL DISCUSSIONS
•
REFERENCES:
1. Cited from ICT in Education Policy “Draft 1”, Mineduc,
Dec 2008, p.6
2. Ibid, p.7
3. 3. Ibid. p.10
4. The National Information and Communication
Infrastructure Policy (NICI-2010) cited in ICT
Educational Policy (Draft1), p.10
5. MINEDUC, Teacher development and management
policy in Rwanda, Edit.2007
•