Govt launches construction of 1,150 classrooms, 1,084 latrines across the country

By Elias Hakizimana

Government will, on Saturday, launch of school construction activities of new 1,150classrooms and 1,084 latrines in all 30 districts.

The project aims at addressing the issue of long distance and overcrowding in Nine and Twelve-Years Basic Education (9 &12YBE) schools.

Since 2009, the Government of Rwanda through Ministry of Education started a program of access for all for 9 & 12YBE.

To achieve this, construction of classrooms and latrines in large numbers started with the support from different stakeholders and community using home grown unconventional approach, where 13,494 classrooms and 28,272 latrines were constructed up to 2014/2015.

In 2018/2019, a new program was introduced to phase out double shift from Primary Six (P6) to Primary Four (P4).

And the required number of classrooms to implement the program is 9,030 classrooms.

During the Fiscal Year 2018/2019, a total number of 630 classroomsfor primary and 90 classrooms for pre- primary children were constructed.

From 2019-2020 fiscal year budget, 1,150 new classrooms (without demolishing the old ones) and 1084 latrines will be constructed countrywide to address the issue of long distance and overcrowding in 9&12 YBE schools.

From October 2019, other 2,704 new classrooms and 3648 latrines will be constructed under the World Bank Project for Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development to address the issue of long distance and overcrowding in primary schools.

On Saturday, there are 30 identified launching sites where the community and different stakeholders will be participating in the launching activities at District level.

At the same time, local authorities will be launching the school construction activities at Sector level.