MADISON, Wisconsin– Since 1994, Rwanda has worked hard to rehabilitate its society and provide a brighter future for its citizens. Currently, moving the country away from an “agriculture-based economy to a knowledge-based society” remains one of the top priorities for the Rwandan government. With this goal in mind, Rwanda is making significant advances within its education system that are tailored to meet the needs of a growing, technologically based global environment. One of the ways that the Rwandan education system is better preparing students for this rise in technology is through the use of Smart Classrooms — an interactive, tech-savvy approach to learning and teaching.
What are Smart Classrooms and Why Are They Important?
Smart Classrooms are classrooms that have been technologically enhanced in order to provide students with a more hands-on learning experience. Smart Classrooms stray from the traditional textbooks-and-chalkboard classroom setting by introducing things such as “computers, digital content, specialized educational software…and audio-visual equipment” meant to pique students’ interests and lead to more diverse forms of learning. Aside from computers, tangible technologies in Smart Classrooms often include interactive projectors, laboratory equipment and ergonomically friendly furniture.
These technologically advanced classrooms are specifically created to not only “spur creative and catalytic thinking,” but also to thoroughly prepare students for interacting with digital tools and technologies in the modern-day workplace. Through their digital mechanisms, Smart Classrooms are able to seamlessly integrate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) education into baseline academic subject areas, and into specialized higher education areas such as biomedical technology, industrial robotics, or construction engineering.
Smart Classrooms in Rwanda
Rwanda began its initiative to integrate technology into its classrooms in 2008 with the One Laptop Per Child policy. This program is ongoing, and as of 2023 Rwanda has provided more than 250,000 laptops to 933 primary schools. While these numbers are impressive, this number of laptops only accounts for around 10% of Rwandan primary school children. In response, Rwanda launched its Smart Classrooms program in 2016 as a more cost-effective, uniform way to distribute technology to students. The Smart Classroom program not only provides immersive technologies to primary school students, but to secondary, vocational and higher education students as well.
Devotra, a technical equipment wholesale company operating out of the Netherlands, has played a large role in installing Smart Classrooms in Rwanda. Devotra focuses on “engineering projects in developing countries,” and has created Smart Classroom models that specifically cater to each level and area of education. Standardized features across all Devotra Smart Classroom models include an extensive digital library, ICT laboratory equipment, digital presentations and comprehensive teacher training on the use of these technologies.
Since 2016 Rwanda has had great success in its move toward Smart Classrooms. As of 2021, 52% of schools had at least two fully-functioning Smart Classrooms. The major challenge this initiative faces is the general lack of electricity throughout the country and the high costs of providing electricity to educational facilities. The Rwandan government is allocating around 10% of its annual budget towards advancing its educational system, with its Ministry of Education and Ministry of Infrastructure collaborating to provide electricity to existing schools and to construct new buildings. The World Bank has also financially contributed to this initiative, giving Rwanda $200 million to “[develop]model schools to support innovative instructional practices.”
Moving in the Right Direction
As of September 2020, more than 22,500 new classrooms were built and provided with electricity throughout Rwanda. The nation is hopeful that with this foundation of new classrooms, 82% of primary and secondary schools will have at least two Smart Classrooms by 2024. Relative to other nations in Sub-Saharan Africa, Rwanda has been very successful in strengthening the quality of its education and adapting its educational institutions to the prevalence of technology in the global labor market. The future of education in Rwanda looks promising for current and subsequent generations of students, and Smart Classrooms are crucial to the nation’s success.
– Reagan McDaniel
Photo: Flickr