Statistics and strategy

Statistics and strategy

Rugerero Primary: Success rate at the National entrance examination to secondary education:
2006 25.8%
2007 88.5%
2008 23.5%
2009 20.5%
What happened in 2007? A spontaneous generation of gifted and talented children? No. A very easy exam? No, same a before. Cheating? Impossible. Simply the solid work of one good teacher who helped for three months... The first Abana volunteer. This is the impact that one good teacher can have in very limited amount of time... What eles do these figures show?
1. Unfortunately, results after 2007 indicate that other teachers did not benefit from this temporary impetus...
2. Lethargy and lack of professionalism quickly grew back.
3. The level of teaching efficiency is very low in rural Rwanda (incidentally, Rugerero has achieved relatively good results compared to other local schools – some achieve a success rate of 0%. )
4. Teacher training has to be a priority
I have opted for an alternative strategy:
1. Try to provide ALL teacher with some very basic methodological training (i.e. do not fall asleep in class in front of the children, prepare your lessons, have some idea of what you want the children to learn, strive for active teaching, work as a team, help each other etc.). I will visit them during their classes and make some comments. They are happy for me to so and I have started the process.
2. I will be happy to achieve a success rate of 50% over the next three years at least. We are looking for long-term sustainability of teaching quality. I hope that success will call for bigger success.
3. Help the teachers for when I am no longer here: improve their working conditions – have a good staff room where they can work, have access to good teaching material . We are practically starting from nothing. I have organised for a publisher of teaching books and material to come and visit us at the school. They are coming today! I have started training sessions every Saturday. Most teachers are coming.
4. Improve - increase the role and responsibilities of school management. The headmistress has to be a leader; she must have a vision for improving the current standard of education in the school.
5. Identify the teachers who need the most help i.e. who are currently preventing the children form learning anything. I must not judge them, I must help them!