Innovative Approaches to Ensuring Quality Education in Poorly-resourced and Over-crowded Classrooms of the Public schools of Gasabo District-Kigali City

Patrick Gatsinzi – Adventist University of Central Africa, Kigali, Rwanda, Dr. Wilton Ndayisenga – Adventist University of Central Africa, Kigali, Rwanda, Dr. Marie Claire Mukamazimpaka – Mount Kenya University, Rwanda& Mugisha John Kabeja – University of Rwanda, College of Education
Email: gatsinzipatrick@yahoo.com

Received March 12, 2020; Reviewed April 20; Accepted April 22, 2020

Abstract: Achieving quality education is the Rwanda’s aim and it is seen as the driver to turn Rwanda into the middle income earner by 2035. This quality education has to be achieved through proper planning and designing of school facilities and learning resources. Despite efforts of the government to succeed in achieving this amid insufficient funds, there are challenges. These challenges are related to the EFA (Education For All) program,whose successful attainment in 2015 led to high enrollment rates causing classroom overcrowding. This has also led to demand for the learning resources and facilities as the available ones have become inadequate, and affect the quality of education.In this paper, we assessed how quality education can be ensured in the selected Rwandan primary schools in such a situation. The research questions employed were: How can quality education be ensured in overcrowded primary school classrooms? How can quality education be achieved in poorly resourced primary school classrooms? The study was qualitative and data was collected using interviews that involved 22 participants from selected schools in Gasabo district, Rwanda. Data was analysed thematically. Findings indicated that quality education can be ensured through the concerted efforts of education stakeholders and the application of various innovative approaches. The implications of the findings is that innovations in curriculum design, pedagogy, school administration and supervision would lead to quality enhancement in primary schools in Rwanda. We recommend that efforts be put in family planning and providing adequate learning resources.