Factors Affecting Provision Of Quality Basic Education In Nyagatare District- Rwanda

Abstract

Rwanda has shown significant progress in improving access to education and Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) has also highlighted the improvement of educational quality as its main priority for the next five years - a position clearly detailed in the Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) 2010-2015, equitable provision of quality education remains a challenge in Rwanda. While Rwanda has shown significant progress in improving access to education, equitable provision of quality education remains a challenge. The purpose of the study was to establish factors affecting provision of quality basic education in Nyagatare district-Rwanda. The three research questions were formulated to guide the study. The review of the related literature focused on factors affecting provision of quality basic education. This study adopted the ex-post- facto research design simple and stratified random sampling technique was used to select the participant for the study. The sample consisted of 260 teachers, 346 pupils and 36 principals in Nyagatare district. Data was collected tlu’ough the use of questionnaires in the case of pupils and teachers while interview schedule was used to collect data from the principals. To data collected were coded using SPSS computer programme. The data was further analyzed and inteqareted to provide meaningful and final results. The researcher presented the research findings in the percentages and frequency tables. Open-ended questions were analyzed using excerpts of the respondents. The findings revealed that majority of the teachers (72.8%) did not use apparatus in teaching of science subjects while (55.6 %) of the pupils felt that their science laboratories were not well equipped. From the study (55.7%) of schools had no libraries and where they exist, they were poorly equipped. Lecture method was widely used than any other method of teaching. Most teachers live outside the school as indicated by (57.3%) of the pupils’ respondents, hence remedial teaching during morning and evening was not possible. From the study, internal supervision of the implementation of the curriculum by principal need to be intensified, the research revealed that there was inadequate assessment done by department of quality assurance and standard officers from the ministry of education. For example (50%) of the pupils stated that these offices do not visit their schools. Majority of the pupils (56.9%) revealed the syllabus was never covered before the end of every year. Based on the findings, it was recommended that board of governor should equip the sciences laboratories, libraries and put up teachers houses. Variety of teaching methods should be used to create interest and focus on value addition of learners. There is need to intensify assessment by the quality assurance and standards officers as well as the internal assessment by principals.