On this Saturday March 9, 2024, for the third time in Rwanda, an event was held to award Short-Courses Certificates to different people, mainly teachers working in different schools in Rwanda and other people who have where they meet with education sector.
It was an event that started at 11:00 AM and ended in the afternoon, which was held at the Universite Libre de Kigali (ULK) in the City of Kigali.This time around 517 received their certificates.
In his welcome speech, Ernest NSEKANABANGA, the coordinator of 1 Million Teachers in Rwanda, welcomed the guests and reminded the black belts the lessons that appear in the second module called (Yellow belt), the heart of a teacher. He emphasized that even if a person has knowledge but does not have the heart of a teacher, students will fail.
Ernest NSEKANABANGA 1MTeachers coordinator in Rwanda
KALISA Jean Baptiste, the representative of the black belt graduates in this third round, said: We stand here today in deep gratitude. We are proud to be a part of this transformational journey, and I am very grateful to the leaders of 1 Million Teachers, and to all our partners who have supported us on this journey.”
“The main goal is very clear to us, we strive to solve the major problems that threaten education in Rwanda and outside of it. Through collaboration, innovation, and steadfast commitment to building a better future for generations to generations.”
“In particular, we express our appreciation for the useful module on girls’ rising education. In the Rwandan society, empowering girls through schools is important, and we are committed to ensuring that every girl gets a quality education and the opportunity to succeed.”
“As graduates of this course (Black belts), we have begun to experience the positive effects of our training in the workplace. We have initiated positive changes and are committed to continuing professional development to further sharpen our skills in providing quality education. Additionally, we know the importance of learning from experienced educators.”
He proposed a 1 Million Teachers to facilitate relationships with others.
He said, “We humbly request the leaders of 1 Million Teachers to facilitate the relationship with those who have completed the black belt course with higher qualifications. By learning from what they have experienced, we can increase our capacity and contribute more to education in Rwanda. We once again ask the leaders of 1 Million Teachers to cooperate with the Rwandan Education Agency so that our decisions are valued in Rwandan education. By working together, we can ensure that our training and expertise make a significant contribution to the education sector in Rwanda.
“In conclusion, let us take this moment with gratitude and commitment. Together, let’s move forward in this great educational movement, guided by the principles of excellence, equity, and empowerment.”
Sam Akin Aderibigbe, one of the Nigerian graduates of the 1 Million Teachers course, who was given the opportunity to attend the event in Rwanda, said in his speech: “A teacher is a person full of humanity and love. The love of your students makes you do good for them.”
Sam Akin Aderibigbe from Nigeria
Mr. Nic Knorr, the chief guest, said that in 2018, when they came to Rwanda, an event like that was a dream, and now it has become a reality. He thanked Mr. Ernest for his patience and courage because he was the one who made the 1 Million Teachers program popular in Rwanda.
Emmanuel TWIZEYIMANA a Teacher at GS KABEZA
He said, “I saw the link and I asked the person who brought it ,he told me that it is a training related to education for teachers and everyone else in that area. I asked him whether 1 Million Teachers works in Rwanda and he told me that it has a branch but it works in many countries around the world. I didn’t hesitate to join because education is my choice and I am also in it.”
TWIZEYIMANA went on to say that knowing 1MT helped him to gain knowledge in the way of teaching because for the person who was lucky enough to be able to read that scroll, he gets knowledge that supports what they already use in their daily teaching.
He continued: “Thus, in general, 1MT for Rwandan educators would bring about a change in education that focuses on attitudes, values, quality education and improving the education of the girl child and if it is done well it would have good results. This 1MT training clearly explains how it works in real time, so our educators who participated in this course would help to accelerate the development of education in RWANDA and make commitments in the vision 2050.”
Gloriose NIRERE, a teacher of Geography and Environment at Ruhango Secondary School (ES Ruhango) also says that she saw someone with the link of 1 Million Teachers in a WhatsApp group where she meets with teachers who correct the national exam.
Gloriose NIRERE a Teacher of Geography and Environment GS Ruhango
He says that one of his wishes is that the certificates they received will be valuable and they will be productive in the labor market.
She continues: “I have gained friends and knowledge that allow me to give my lessons better and continue to strive for the development of the girl child.”
In general, most of the teachers who talked to UMURUNGA.com want the Ministry of Education and affiliated institutions like REB and NESA to show that they are aware of the 1 Million Teachers program in Rwanda, support it and spread it everywhere so that every teacher can reach it.
They continue to say that there are still a large number of teachers who do not participate in this program and call it fraud because they do not have enough information about them and they do not receive an invitation from the educational institutions in Rwanda for this program.
So those who know it, see it as a loss for Rwandan education while there are still teachers who have not taken these courses. They ask the educational institutions to show their role in this program.
1Million Teachers is a global initiative born at Queen’s University Canada and their mission is to build a large community of high-quality and committed teaching changemakers who will lead grassroots development in their communities.
Its founders are Hakeem Subair (Nigeria) and Rizma Butt (Pakistan) who are determined to create a world with enough high-quality teachers so that all children can learn well.
Today, the 1 Million Teachers program is a world-renowned partner, working to create enough high-quality teachers so that all children can learn effectively.
Other pictures showing the mood of graduation
