| Rwanda hasn't had the easiest of times over the last | | | | undermine its effectiveness. With less than 10% of |
| 20 years or so. Since the genocide in 1994 that | | | | primary school teachers having received English |
| attracted worldwide front-page coverage and | | | | training and only 5% of secondary school teachers |
| international condemnation as well as much criticised | | | | having had even basic training, the danger is that the |
| governmental inertia, not a great deal has been heard | | | | scheme may collapse even before it can properly |
| from the country. But that's not to say that Rwanda | | | | begin. All for the lack of teachers qualified to teach |
| hasn't been busy planning its future and looking at | | | | English in Rwanda. |
| ways to offer its people a happier more prosperous | | | | What Rwanda needs is qualified ESL teachers - and it |
| future. | | | | needs them fast. |
| Part of that planning has involved the setting up of a | | | | Already neighbouring countries with spare English |
| new project that will radically overhaul the nation's | | | | teaching capacity have stepped in to help by sending |
| language teaching. It forms the basis of a far-reaching | | | | teachers and the British Council have also sent TEFL |
| policy that will see the teaching of English as its | | | | teachers to the region in order to try and help close |
| second language in all Rwandan schools. Seen by | | | | the language teaching gap. Perhaps more than |
| many as an attempt to break away from its French | | | | anything though the country would benefit from |
| colonial past, Rwanda is following in the footsteps of | | | | independent English language teachers choosing to |
| neighbouring countries Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania | | | | take a closer look at what Rwanda has to offer and |
| who already use English as a second language. The | | | | opt to take up teaching jobs in Rwanda. |
| hope is that by using English, commercial and cultural | | | | Rwanda might not seem like an obvious choice and |
| ties with neighbouring countries will be strengthened | | | | with the country's well-documented difficulties still fresh |
| and that Rwanda can also to give itself a competitive | | | | in the minds of many, TEFL in Rwanda might not be |
| lift on the international stage. | | | | top of many people's EFL teaching plans. It would be a |
| The new initiative is a continuation of the ongoing | | | | shame though to overlook the country on the grounds |
| efforts by the authorities to introduce English as an L2 | | | | of its past and to not experience its positive and |
| across higher education and throughout Government. | | | | vibrant present or its ambitious future. Rwanda |
| Already, entrance to the Institute of Science and | | | | certainly has a great deal to offer, the chance to |
| Technology is in English and although more | | | | develop new skills, experience new and exciting |
| comfortable speaking French, increasing numbers of | | | | environments as well as discovering and enjoying |
| government officials are now starting to use English. | | | | African and in particular Rwandan culture. |
| With the reforms due to begin in the very near future | | | | If you are thinking about teaching English abroad then |
| there are dangers however, that the lack of training | | | | think about teaching in Rwanda - it might be just what |
| available to Rwanda's primary teachers may | | | | you're looking for. |