REPUBLIC OF RWANDA
MINEDUC
REB-WDA-UR/CoE
NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON SCHOOL MANAGEMENT AND
SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
Leadership for Learning
Umubano Hotel, 21-22 November 2013
BEST PRACTICES IN PEER TO PEER
LEARNING AT DISTRICT LEVEL
Presented by:
Sister Marie Pélagie UMUMARARUNGU
Head teacher of GROUPE SCOLAIRE MATER DEI
NYANZA-SCHOOL OF REFERENCE
PRESENTATION OUTLINE
1. INTRODUCTION
2. CONCEPT AND PURPOSE OF PEER TO PEER
LEARNING (PPL)
3. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF PPL IN RWANDA
4. PPL STRATEGIC PLAN: A CASE OF NYANZA
DISTRICT
5. BENEFITS OF PPL PROGRAM
6. OUTCOMES OF PPL
7. WAY FORWARD
INTRODUCTION
• This presentation is about the best practices
in peer to peer learning for effective
leadership and management in schools.
• The PPL Program was initiated to address the
problem of ineffective school management
affecting the school performance.
• School management was identified to have
significant effect on quality and effective
education.
• Scope of work: 9/12 YBE and Secondary
schools.
CONCEPT AND PURPOSE OF PEER TO
PEER LEARNING (PPL)
• Learning from one another, from a school to
another and sharing the best practices from
the various schools of the same district with
focus on effective leadership and management
• A framework for exchanging experiences on
positive actions within the schools; a platform
where Head teachers and staff of schools
within the district meet.
• Schools with good school management can
teach surrounding schools in the district about
qualitative school management.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF PPL IN
RWANDA
• In the framework of EDPRS II and Vision 2020 to
provide Rwanda with skilled human resources,
the Ministry of Education through Rwanda
Education Board (REB) in partnership with VVOB
launched the PPL program in 2012.
• The program has been meant to improve school
management in 9/12 YBE and secondary schools
via training and modules on the main
management topics.
• The program has led to the creation of 30 pilot
schools (one School of reference per district for
each of the 30 districts of Rwanda).
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF PPL IN
RWANDA (Cont’d)
• Training of the 30 Head teachers on PPL with
regard to effective leadership, effective
management applied to the provision of high
quality education, development of strategic
plans.
• REB involved Districts and Administrative
Sectors on the new PPL program.
• Head teachers of School of reference consulted
with Districts and Administrative Sectors and
discussed on the new PPL program
implementation aiming at creating awareness
of PPL at local authorities level.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF PPL IN
RWANDA (Cont’d)
• Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) between VVOB and the Schools Of
Reference (SoR).
• The SoR started the activities:
i.e. In Nyanza District, GSMD NYANZA (SoR of
Nyanza District) launched PPL on 26/11/2012,
organized and conducted various workshops.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF PPL IN
RWANDA (Cont’d)
10/12/2012: Workshop of PPL for SEOs and
Head teachers
5-6/9/2013: Workshop of PPL for Deputy Head
teachers in charge of studies
12/9/2013: Workshop of PPL for Deputy Head
teachers in charge of discipline
26/09/2013: Workshop of PPL for Secretaries
27/09/2013: Workshop of PPL for Bursars
04/10/2013: Workshop of PPL for SEOs , Head
teachers and Deputy Head
teachers in charge of studies
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF PPL IN
RWANDA (Cont’d)
11/11/2013: Workshop on the evaluation of PPL
for effective leadership and
management.
PPL STRATEGIC PLAN:
A CASE OF NYANZA DISTRICT
OVERALL/GENERAL OBJECTIVE:
To build the capacity of the school leadership of
the district so that it can contribute effectively
to the provision of the quality education
through the implementation of the peer to peer
learning; organization of high quality training
and mutual support between school leaders.
PPL STRATEGIC PLAN: A CASE OF
NYANZA DISTRICT(Cont’d)
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES (SO):
SO1: The school administrative staff of secondary
schools of the district are trained and coached on
the job and can handle their tasks effectively.
SO2: The peer to peer learning program is
implemented within the schools of the district
to raise the levels of the students’ academic
performance.
PPL STRATEGIC PLAN:
A CASE OF NYANZA DISTRICT(Cont’d)
SO3: All schools of the district are empowered
enough and can apply the principles of effective
school leadership through proper school
planning, accountability in school finances and
the involvement of the parents and the
community in the school management.
SO4: The peer to peer learning program is
implemented within the schools of the district
to increase the students’ discipline through the
application of the cross-cutting programs.
PPL STRATEGIC PLAN:
A CASE OF NYANZA DISTRICT(Cont’d)
SO5: The peer to peer learning program
remains effective and coordinated
through proper reporting, monitoring
and evaluation and active Head teachers
associations.
BENEFITS OF PPL PROGRAM
Benefits at leadership and management level
- Harmonization of working methods.
- Common understanding of staff duties and
responsibilities (Brainstorming and refreshment
on school staff members responsibilities).
- Improvement of day to day work.
- Motivation of staff (i.e. PPL program motivated
staff members to easily have access to their
superiors).
- Improvement of team work spirit.
- Acquisition of leadership skills.
BENEFITS OF PPL PROGRAM (Cont’d)
-Transparency in leadership.
- Increase of self-confidence for staff.
- Increase of trust among the administrative staff
within the school.
- Acquisition of planning skills including Action
planning, Strategic planning, Budgeting as well
as M&E skills.
- Acquisition of decision making skills.
- Acquisition of conflict resolution skills.
- Brainstorming on schools’ strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT).
BENEFITS OF PPL PROGRAM (Cont’d)
- Brainstorming on schools problems and the
most appropriate solutions (Problem solving
model).
- Promotion of good innovations.
-Better ways of understanding and counseling
pupils/students.
-Good collaboration among administrative staff
members.
- Knowledge of how to properly manage the
school financial and human resources available.
BENEFITS OF PPL PROGRAM (Cont’d)
-Improvement of the reporting system
(technical and financial).
-Prevention from bad records with regard to
school auditing.
-To learn from others and duplicate best
practices from other schools.
-To know about some English language
problems faced by the teachers while lecturing
or delivering their lessons.
BENEFITS OF PPL PROGRAM (Cont’d)
Benefits at partnership level
-Partnership with local authorities (District level,
Sector level, parents and neighboring school
community).
-Enhancement of collaboration and partnership
between administrative staff members from
different schools having the same position,
which will obviously impact on pupils/students
performance (Exchange experience, such as:
i)Sharing resources; ii)Effective allocation of
resources).
BENEFITS OF PPL PROGRAM (Cont’d)
-Complementarities between school
administrative staff members.
-Assistance between schools.
-Relationship between staff from various schools
(staff to know each other).
OUTCOMES OF PPL
• Conducive environment in the school for
effective leadership and management.
• Students’ performance in terms of holistic
education including academic and discipline.
WAY FORWARD
It has been strongly recommended to pursue
PPL.
Roadmap on the institutional framework
• Establishment of a PPL Committee at District
level to support and coordinate PPL activities
at Sector level.
• PPL to be decentralized up to administrative
Sector level.
• Establishment of PPL Center at administrative
Sector level.
WAY FORWARD (Cont’d)
Roadmap on communication
(Sensitization/Awareness/Dissemination of
information)
• Creation of PPL District media for publishing
PPL activities (i.e. A newspaper on PPL for
people involved in school leadership and
management to exchange information and
ideas).
• Creation of a PPL website and international
networking system.
WAY FORWARD (Cont’d)
• To keep on sharing quality education
innovations and disseminate them to others.
• Put into practice all relevant advices and
recommendations from PPL in order to achieve
high quality education.
• To extend PPL to pupils/students level.
• To start PPL program in administrative Sectors
and include Primary Head teachers.
• To extend PPL program to Primary schools.
WAY FORWARD (Cont’d)
Roadmap on leadership and management
• To implement the outcomes or
recommendations from the different PPL
workshops.
• Plan a timetable of PPL activities in the district.
• Monitoring and evaluation of PPL at different
levels for better productivity and efficiency.
• Enforcement of training through increase of
number of trainings and increase target groups
to reach teachers and pupils/students.
WAY FORWARD (Cont’d)
• Regular meetings and workshops at
administrative Sector level for school staff
members having the same responsibilities
(e.g. Meeting of School Head teachers;
meeting of School Deputy Head teachers in
charge of studies; meeting of School Deputy
Heads of discipline; meeting of School
Secretaries; meeting of School Bursars; etc.)
WAY FORWARD (Cont’d)
Roadmap on partnership
• Mutual school visits should be encouraged
to assess whether the recommendations from
the workshops are being implemented.
• Find occasions and opportunities to meet with
colleagues and staff members in order to
share experience (e.g. New Year and
Christmas ceremonies).
• Inter-school visits in Nyanza District, in other
districts and outside the country.
WAY FORWARD (Cont’d)
Roadmap on funding
• Establish a PPL Fund at District level for
PPL sustainability to strengthen M&E
activities in PPL program.
• Advocate that he districts allocate a
budget line to support PPL program.
WAY FORWARD (Cont’d)
• Advocate that the15% of Capitation
Grant initially allocated for training be
channeled in PPL to support trainings,
seminars, workshops, study tours and
other relevant activities as per the
strategic plan.
• Establish or put in place a cooperative of
school staff members and elect/appoint
a committee to lead the cooperative
aiming at striving for self-reliance.
MURAKOZE !
THANK YOU !
MERCI !
ASANTE !