02. News and updates

The Rwandan Senior 6 (Year 12) National Examination Results were published last week and Rusuzumiro School have some fantastic news! 

Jean Claude, who inspired The SmartClassroom Project back in 2016 and who featured in our film, succeeded in taking 2nd place nationally in his accountancy exam!

Equally impressive news was that Fidele, MAD4Africa’s first Umuhanga* Education Fund graduate, gained a Distinction and took 1st place in Nyaruguru District where Rusuzumiro is located. 

Fidele, had been generously sponsored by a Barnes Primary family to attend a selective government boarding school for three years after he left Rusuzumiro. He’s been studying teacher training and can be seen in the photos below (left) heading off to boarding school in 2018 and (right) on a teaching placement at Rusuzumiro School in March 2020 just before lockdown. 

Head Teacher Vincent is hopeful that both boys will receive a bursary from the government to continue their studies at university. Vincent said…

“I am very happiest because dreams become reality ????! Warm gratitude to his sponsors who assisted him with his studies,  great thanks to you who advocated for him. 86% is so many and many! Not every child can get this performance!??‍♂️ I am happiest for this outstanding performance of Fidele and Jean Claude” 

Government boarding schools are recognised for higher standards of education as well as providing (typically!) better food than many Rusuzumiro students would receive at home, extra curricular activities and the ability to study in the evenings as schools/dorms have electricity. The typical cost is £350 per year for three years and a student can be sponsored by one family or a group. 

If you’d like further details, please contact Alison Hawksley alison@mad4africa.com. 

It’s great to know that our Barnes Primary community has helped make a difference to these students, their futures and their families too. 

News from Rusuzumiro School, Rwanda

Our annual Run 4 Rusuzumiro in July raised an impressive £2,198.50 inc Gift Aid so thank you all for your energetic running and incredible support. These funds enabled Rusuzumiro School to purchase 357 health cards for children and adults from 53 families on extremely low incomes for the fourth year running. The cards cost RWF 3,000 each (approx. £3) and provide access to primary health care which save lives every year . This programme not only gives the gift of health but also improves attendance rates at school as parents are super keen to send their children to school. This in turn gives these children the very best chances to learn and participate in school life. The balance of funds are on account for The Wall and Fence Project which you can read more about here. This fund raising page is still open but as Virgin Money Giving is closing on 22 November 2021 we will be publishing a new page in due course. 

The Rwandan National Exam results were delayed this year due to Covid chaos postponing the academic start date from September to 11 October 2021. The exam results determine if a student progresses to the next grade, or not, so are very important events and occur at the end of the equivalent of Year 6, Senior 3 (Year 9) and Senior 6 (Year 12).  Despite an extremely disruptive year due to long lockdowns, with little or no access to online learning,  94.5% of Senior 3 students passed their secondary school exams. This was an impressive result and enables students to proceed to their final three years of education, either at Rusuzumiro School or prestigious government boarding schools if their grades are high enough and funds allow. Primary school students found the disruption a bit more challenging, however, which resulted in only 75% of Year 6 students passing the exams. Vincent, the Head Teacher apologised for this performance and said “Thank you for your lovely assistance which supports us to work in a conducive environment”. He is hopeful that there will be no disruptions this year and in-school learning can resume as normal. As do we! 

Thank you all for your continued support over what has been an extremely challenging time for both our schools. There will be more news once the students and teachers are back at school so watch this space! 

Letter from Vincent NTAKIRUTIMANA, Headteacher Rusuzumiro School

Photocopier and teaching materials have arrived. Please see the message below from Head Teacher Vincent Ntakirutimana.

By way of background, if there wasn’t enough paper and/or ink to print exam papers, some children would miss out sitting their exams and, as a result, not be able to move up to the next level. This shouldn’t happen again now with this new photocopier which is fabulous news!  Thank you to you all for making this happen.

Vincent NTAKIRUTIMANA: Morning dear Ali! Hope you have had good sleeps?
I am pleased in this morning, to send you the photos with my heartfelt thanks to you. Tomorrow, we are going to start the exams of second term /2020-2021, the holidays are coming on 2nd April /2021 till the 17April /2021( two weeks).
We are actually so lucky because we have a chance to print with a new and rapid machine with high resolution??????
Warm thanks to you !!!!

[05:01, 11/03/2021]    Vincent NTAKIRUTIMANA: Thank you also for other various teaching materials which are helping us to perform different tasks in our school compound!!!! Send our warmest thanks to Barnes Primary school community??????

Have a fabulous day ??????

The laptops have finally arrived at Rusuzumiro School. The 100 laptops that the Rwandan government promised to provide to schools arrived early last week. Vincent, the headteacher, sent this message:

‘Since yesterday, classes in ICT began first with teachers who already have basic skills in computing. Students are enjoying the access to the laptops. It is the perfect opportunity for students to improve their skills. During these periods of using the digital library, students will be able to do various research and study content beyond what can be provided for in the classroom and face-to-face by their teachers’.

Please take a look at the photographs that Vincent has sent for you.