Curriculum review updates
Presented at
RENCP, October 21,2014
By Joyce Musabe
Background and Major revisions
Curriculum in 1962-1978
 The structure of education system was 6-3-3
 The language of instruction in lower primary was
Kinyarwanda
 The subjects mainly taught in primary were: Mathematics,
Kinyarwanda, Religion, and French.
 There was little exposure in history and geography.
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Background and Major revisions
Curriculum 1978-1992
 New education structure of 8-6
 Language of instruction in primary was Kinyarwanda
 Subjects taught at primary were Maths, French,
Kinyarwanda, Religion, Crafts, needlework, and home
economics in some schools
 Specialization started right from form one
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Background and Major revisions
Curriculum 1992- 2009
 The structure of education system was 6-3-3
 National conference of April 24th 1995 recommended the
restructuring of education system
 Harmonization of the curricula in 1996
 Official languages of instructions: Kinyarwanda (lower
primary, from upper primary either French or English)
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Background and Major revisions
Curriculum 2009-up to date
 Introduction of double shift in upper primary.
 Reduction of the number of core subjects.
 Introduction of compulsory and elective subjects.
 Official languages of instructions: Kinyarwanda in lower
primary and English at all other levels.
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Rationale and objective
 Vision 2020, EDPRS2 ,ESSP (2013-2018) - the Rwanda
Curriculum requires a renovation to meet the demands of
the country’s vision and the dynamic global skills market
demands.
 To allow the free movement of workers in the region and in
the world.
 These involve turning Rwanda into a knowledge-based society
whilst the aspiration is that the reformed curriculum should
reflect the best of curricula in the developing world and embody
best practices.
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Activities achieved with the review
 Conducted studies on existing curriculum and subject
syllabuses (July 2013 – November 2013)
 Held a National Curriculum Conference involving all
stakeholders aimed at debating, refining and disseminating
the recommendations of the studies (November 2013).
 The structure of the curriculum framework and the
development of time tabled road map plotting the work to be
undertaken and key deadlines (December2013-February
2014)
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Activities achieved with the review
 Identification of subjects to be taught at all levels including
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the combinations.
 Identification of competencies and Leavers profiles and
crosscutting issues
 Subjects’ overviews ( topics, subtopics and topic
competencies in every subject and at each level of the
learner.
 Elaboration of competence based syllabus (determine on
grade by grade basis, what children must learn, how they
should learn, related learning activities)
Competencies
Basic :
Numeracy, literacy- Communication
in mother tongue and in official
foreign languages- Science and
technology- ICT and digital
competency- Personal and
interpersonal management and
life skills- Citizenship and national
identity- Entrepreneurship and
business development and
Lifelong learning
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Generic:
 Critical thinking
 Research and problem
solving
 Creativity and
innovation
 Communication
 Co-operation
What is new with Pre primary
 Foundations of literacy, numeracy and social skills through
play based learning
 Helping students to discover their world ( people and
community and living things, physical features and
technology
 Social and emotional development
 Physical development and healthy care
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What is new in Primary
 Increased the number of subjects : 7 and 8 instead of 5
respectively in upper and lower primary
 Created space for all subjects to be compulsory
 Introduction of French and ICT
 Number of weeks per year: 39 instead of 36
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What is new in Lower secondary
Core subjects: 12 ( examinable in national exams)
Elective subjects: 1 subject chosen /examinable
Co- curricula activities: All compulsory but not
examinable
Number of periods per week: 45 instead of 38
Number of weeks per year: 39 instead of 36
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What is new In Lower secondary
Some changes in subjects:
History and Citizenship
Biology and Health sciences
Geography and Environment
French and Literature in English
ICT in education
All above compulsory and be examinable
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A level combinations
 8 Combinations in Sciences
 6 Combinations in Humanities
 3 Combinations in Languages
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What is new at Upper secondary
Focus on communication skills, languages in all
combinations
Focus on Subsidiary Mathematics in sciences and
humanities with economics
Elective subjects are examinable in national exams
Number of periods per week: 45 instead of 36
Number of weeks per year: 39 instead of 36
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Methodology used and participants
Beside consultation, interviews there was a full participatory
approach involving relevant stakeholders from:
 Teachers and lecturers
 FBO
 Government and Private Institutions ( WDA, CNLG, Itorero,
GMO, Unit and Reconciliation, RBS, REMA, AEGIS/Trust,
MINECOFIN /Financial Education, Wellspring
Foundation…)
 PSF
 EDC/L3 and EDC/Akazi kanoze
 Right to play
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Upcoming activities
 Development of Assessment guidelines of each level
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November-December 2014
 Launching the new curriculum in end December 2014.
 Elaboration of Learning and Teaching Materials in line
with the new curriculum ( 2015)
 Training teachers in the use of the new curriculum (
2015)
 Implementation of competency-based curriculum (Jan
2016 to 2018)
 Monitoring and evaluation ( 2018)
Challenges
 The weekly time allocation of 45 periods per week
pushes the school day to 4 pm as opposed to 2 pm as it
was in the existing curriculum.
 This implies that issues of school feeding need to be
considered urgently
 Funding the remaining activities for proper
implementation of the new curriculum from Jan 20162018)
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Good news!!!
“We can do all things through
Christ who strengthen us”
(Apostle Paul)
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THANK YOU
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