The role of Non-Government Organizations in Enhancing the Quality of Early Childhood Education in Rwanda.Case of Save the Children International Teacher training

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