Rwanda: Why Schools Are Giving Co-Curriculars More Time

Starting from September, Rwandan students will participate in co-curricular activities for 90 minutes each school day, complementing their academic lessons. The school day will continue to run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with co-curricular activities taking place from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Flora Mutezigaju, Deputy Director General at the Rwanda Education Board, explained that the reform aims to make learning more practical and ensure students can apply what they learn in class.

Co-curricular activities are not new in the Rwandan education system; however, they have often lacked structure and connection to classroom learning, making them similar to extracurricular activities. The new arrangement seeks to address this by linking these activities directly to the formal curriculum, such as using sports to reinforce lessons on hygiene and health.

Subjects like Physical Education and Sport and Creative Arts will see learners put lessons into practice more frequently. For instance, a student studying colours in art will be encouraged to mix colors and create artwork. The Rwanda Education Board has reviewed the curricula and gathered teachers' feedback, indicating that the curriculum is no longer overloaded, although concerns remain in subjects like mathematics, science, and elementary technology.

The new approach could help teachers cover content more effectively by providing opportunities for learners to apply concepts. Activities will vary depending on the education level, with primary school students participating in physical education, creative arts, Itorero (a Rwandan tradition), life skills, language, and reading activities.

At the lower secondary level, activities will include technical and survival skills, Itorero, life skills, language, and leadership, as well as STEM and innovation subjects. Upper secondary students will engage in physical education, pre-technical and survival skills, Itorero, language, leadership, and STEM and innovation, with a focus on practical experiments and innovation projects.

The Rwanda Education Board will provide guidelines and sample timetables, but individual schools will decide how to organize the activities. Teachers can be assigned based on their interests, knowledge, and skills, not necessarily their regular classroom role. Schools will track the programme using indicators such as sports competitions, reading clubs, debates, public-speaking events, guest speakers, and innovation projects completed.

This shift aligns with a global emphasis on holistic education, where schools aim to develop not only academic knowledge but also creativity, teamwork, leadership, communication, and practical skills.