PROJECT TIMELINE

2013 – 2015

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

IEE implemented British Council’s Supporting Teachers’ English through Mentoring (STEM) project aimed to improve the English language level of teachers and develop their teaching skills by creating self-study materials that allowed teachers to incorporate their study into their work and family schedule. STEM worked in 36 primary schools located within four sectors of Nyamasheke district in the Western Province of Rwanda from 2013-2015. 

The STEM project was one of 26 innovative pilot projects supported by the Innovation for Education Fund, a partnership between the governments of Rwanda and the United Kingdom.

British Council managed the project and IEE was its major implementing partner.

Activities of this project involved:

• Providing teachers with self-study materials related to classroom English that included self-study units and phones with accompanying audio-materials.
• Providing schools with solar powered audio players that were used during peer support group sessions that took place once in two weeks for approximately two hours.
• Organizing capacity building workshops for teachers and other school-based personnel such as mentors who supported teachers in the use of the materials.
• Monitoring the progress of participating teachers through our monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) team.
• Providing learner support by phone through learner support (LS) team.
• Advocacy for teachers’ professional development to the local education authority and Rwanda Education Board.

 By the end of the STEM project:

• 86% of teachers had improved their performance on their pre-and post-intervention Classroom English Test.
• 100% of teachers reported improved English language skills because of using STEM resources.
• 100% of teachers said they were more confident and better prepared to use English in the classroom.
• Teachers were better able to conduct lessons in English and create an effective learning environment, with pupils more actively involved in the learning process.

 In June 2015, STEM was presented with a Commonwealth Education Good Practice award for its contribution to teacher development.

PARTNERS

• British Council

• Ministry of Education

• Rwanda Education Board

• District and Sector Education Officials

• Schools