By: Ollus Ndomu
The Rwanda Basic Education Board (REB) has announced the introduction of the Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) for visually impaired and deaf children in public schools.
REB Director General, Nelson Mbarushimana disclosed mid this week that the board has partnered with different stakeholders to fully develop a special curriculum which will be formally launched next year.
“Previously, these lessons were taken, but we did not have a curriculum for them, the learners followed a curriculum developed by partners like UNICEF, but now this curriculum will be aligned with the national programmes, this means all learners will follow a uniform curriculum but in a language that is inclusive for all,” he said.
Mbarushimana further said the board will recruit and train teachers at national level who will spearhead the implementation of this comprehensive curriculum.
“The ultimate goal is to enable learners with intellectual challenges due to their disabilities, to maximize their opportunities in learning to develop their optimal capacity so they can live as independently as they can.
“We now have braille and sign language officers, which is new, these are the people who will be in charge of developing the curriculum, training the teachers and making sure it is enrolled in the special-needs schools.”
Reacting to the development, Rwanda Union of the Blind (RUB) Executive Director, Donatella Kanimba, welcomed the move adding that the new curriculum will make education accessible to all Rwandan children:
“Right now we have different kinds of braille from very many countries and Rwanda does not have one, and this was a problem for example Home de la Vierge des Pauvres (HVP) Gatagara in Rwamagana teaches a combination of French and English braille mixed, and Educational Institute for Blind Children in Kibeho only teaches English braille, and other schools teach different braille.”
Kanimba added that “With the introduction of braille in this new curriculum, all schools will learn one braille and children will be able to sit comfortably for their national examinations, because it used to be hard for them but also the examination council because they did not know which braille to use.”
National Council of Persons with Disabilities Executive Secretary, Emmanuel Ndayisaba, disclosed that a new sign language dictionary with over 2000 signs will be ready by September this year:
“The project of the new sign language dictionary was stalled due to lack of professionals, but now we found someone who will complete the project.
“With our partners like REB we expect the new dictionary to be used in schools to help not only the children with hearing loss but also their teachers, and improve the curriculum, the dictionary will be accessed electronically and can be used by everyone who wishes to access it.” Ndayisaba said.
Father Jules Maurice Ntirenganya, Director at HVP Gatagara in the country’s Rwamagana District told The New Times that the new curriculum is aimed to help visually impaired children, adding that it will be uniform in all Rwandan schools:
“We currently have 162 students who study braille, and the biggest challenge for these children has been accessing braille books, when they distribute books to schools we have to translate them to braille ourselves, we hope this new curriculum will also include the provision and easy access of braille books in libraries because they really help our learners.”
Rwanda remains committed to promoting inclusive education.
