06-10-2009
Kigali – Rwanda has a deficit of thousands of teachers to cater for the growing number of students at all levels of education but cannot recruit a mass of them because of International Monetary Fund – IMF restrictions, RNA reports.
As Rwanda celebrates World Teachers Day October 05, the country has about 50,000 teachers with about 2.2million students in primary and 250,000 at the secondary school level.
According to the Ministry of Education, it wants to increase the teacher numbers “as far as possible through the civil service”, but is only allowed to do so with a specified limit. IMF restrictions on civil service recruitment allow only a 3% annual growth in the number of teachers – which government is planning to bypass.
“If current IMF restrictions are upheld, which imply a capped 3% growth rate in teachers within the civil service then other solutions will be considered,” the ministry says in its Long-term strategy and financing framework.
Government intends to try out two counter measures. Plans are under way to start a program of contract teachers. Another plan being worked out will be transferring central government financing to districts so they can hire teachers directly.
However, government says it wants the high number of student-teacher ration to come ultimately come down to 1:45.
Meanwhile, dozens of teachers were on Monday given prizes for their service to mark the annual teachers’ day.
State Education Minister for Primary and Secondary schools Mr. Habamungu Mathias told the hundreds of teachers in attendance at the award function that they have to do more than just got to class.
“In our rapidly changing and interdependent world, teachers not only have to ensure that students acquire solid skills in basic subjects, but also that they become responsible local and global citizens, at ease with new technologies and able to make informed decisions about health, the environment and other challenges,” he said.
At the global level, the UN education agency – UNSECO, said a sustained investment is required to develop a well-trained and motivated teaching force.
A global total of 10.3 million teachers should be recruited between up until 2015 just to meet the goal of universal primary education.
At a time when the global economic slowdown risks putting tight constraints on education budgets, UNESCO said it is critical that governments support the recruitment, training and professional development of teachers.
The agency however, says in Rwanda, projections of student teachers to be trained in teacher training colleges and colleges of suggests that recruiting and retaining teachers of good quality will remain a challenge for at least five more years.
To meet this massive need for teachers, Rwanda is said to be relaxing qualification requirements.
Source: RNA
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