Abstract:
The research investigated the impact of Save the Children's teacher training programs on
early childhood education quality in Rwanda. It evaluated the programs' contributions to
curriculum implementation, teaching practices, and overall educational outcomes. Using a
descriptive survey design with both quantitative and qualitative methods, the study focused
on pre-primary teachers trained by Save the Children, project staff as well as representatives
from MINEDUC and REB. Key findings included a 70% participation rate in training
sessions on the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), which enhanced teachers' abilities to
use this curriculum and incorporate play-based learning. Teachers reported an average
improvement rating of 3.1 in their practices, and they valued the expertise of master trainers.
However, the cascade training model, where mentors pass on information, was less effective
than anticipated, leading to low participation in community practice groups. Challenges
identified included a shortage of trained educators, large class sizes, lack of teaching and
learning materials and difficulties in lesson preparation, which hindered the effective
implementation of the curriculum. The study concluded that further improvements are needed
in pre-primary education quality and recommended ongoing capacity-building opportunities
for teachers, as well as providing diverse teaching materials in classrooms
