Kigali, 23rd 07, 2019-Groupe Scolaire (GS) Butete is in Burera district in the Northern Province of Rwanda. It is one of the seventy-five schools under the Teaching Assistantships Project, which is supported by Mastercard Foundation under its Leaders in Teaching (LIT) initiative in Rwanda. This pilot project is aimed at engaging a total of one hundred and fifty bright girls in their transitional year to tertiary education, as Teaching Assistants, supporting the learning of mathematics and science for six months, at seventy-five schools in fifteen districts in Rwanda. An integral component of the Teaching Assistantships Project is distribution of materials to support the learning of mathematics and science of which GS Butete is a recipient.
GS Butete has a total population of 2,666 students in both Primary and Secondary school sections. Among these, 565 students study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) related subjects. GS Butete is also a center for the national examinations in the district. For lack of science materials GS Butete has been borrowing from Ecole Secondaire Kidaho (ESK), a neighboring school, to support their practical sessions in mathematics and science.
It was difficult for our students to do practical lessons at the school due to lack of science materials. Our students can now do practical lessons at the school, and this indescribably exciting– said Mr. Rugwizangoga Jean Baptiste, the GS Butete Head Teacher.
Ndayambaje Theophile is a Chemistry teacher in senior one and senior three at GS Butete. He is very happy and optimistic that equipping their laboratory is going to play a fundamental role in the promotion of science learning in their community.
We are very happy for the STEM materials. We would go out to a nearby school whenever we had practical classes for us to do them, but now, we will be using our own materials, and this is going to also promote the teaching and learning of sciences in this community– said Theophile.
All the staff members and teachers at GS Butete are committed to keeping and utilizing these materials for the benefit of learning for students in mathematics and science subjects. Of note, when GS Butete knew that they would receive these materials they committed and modified space in a large room for storage and usage of the materials. Distribution of these materials complements ambitions of the Ministry of Education in Rwanda, to nurture a teaching force, particularly for Science, Technology Engineering and Maths STEM, during the current Education Sector Strategic Plan period of 2018/19- 2014/25.
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