Rwanda: Teachers Call for Increased Laptop Access, Simpler Transfer Process

5 October 2023
The New Times (Kigali)
By Aurore Teta Ufitiwabo

On World Teachers' Day, educators are advocating for improved laptop accessibility and easier transfer processes to bolster their capacity to provide high-quality education.

Stephanie Mukangango, the Secretary-General of Syndicat National des Enseignants au Rwanda (SNER), commended Rwanda for its significant efforts in improving the lives of teachers, emphasising the commendable progress made in enhancing the well-being of educators.

"The country has made significant progress in the betterment of teachers' lives by increasing the number of educators and classrooms, especially with the introduction of various initiatives, such as the laptop per teacher programme, salary improvements, the Gira Iwawe programme, and various other projects. These efforts collectively contribute to improving the overall well-being of teachers," she told The New Times.

Mukangango said there's a need for increased availability of laptops going forward. She stressed the importance of ensuring that teachers have access to a laptop for their daily activities. In today's fast-paced world, where technology plays a crucial role in almost everything, providing laptops to educators is essential.

"Today's world is heavily influenced by technology, and it's time for educators to adopt this trend in their teaching methods. However, this requires that everyone has access to a device. We kindly request the government to expedite the process," she added.

Furthermore, she emphasised the need for a simplified change process, arguing that it remains one of the challenges that teachers continue to encounter.

She said: "The government has provided opportunities for many teachers, but some still struggle with assignments in remote areas, and the mutation process remains difficult and time-consuming at times."

Every year on October 5, World Teachers' Day is celebrated. However, The New Times learnt that at the country level, the day's celebrations are not held on the same day. This is because it coincides with the beginning of the new academic year. In such a case, a new date for the celebration will be communicated.

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), this year's theme is "The Teachers We Need for the Education We Want: The Global Imperative to Reverse the Teacher Shortage".

Read the original article on New Times.

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