Rwanda to Prioritize Quality Education at 2024 Global Education Meeting

Elias Hakizimana Aug 20, 2024Aug 20, 2024 0 Comments

By Elias Hakizimana.

Rwanda is stepping up its preparations for the 2024 Global Education Meeting (GEM), set to take place in Fortaleza, Brazil, on October 31 and November 1, 2024.

In a key move, the Rwanda National Commission for UNESCO (CNRU), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC), convened a national consultation on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, in Kigali.

The consultation aimed to solidify Rwanda’s contributions to the global agenda for education transformation, particularly under the framework of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4), which emphasizes inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

This consultation brought together officials from CNRU, MINEDUC, education-affiliated entities, and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). The central focus was to assess Rwanda’s progress in achieving SDG4 and to identify strategies to accelerate the country’s efforts towards the 2030 Agenda.

Participants listen attentively during the national consultation.The discussions were structured to refine the draft Fortaleza Declaration, a key outcome document that will guide international educational policy discussions at the 2024 GEM.

Participants engaged in group brainstorming sessions to review critical sections of the draft Fortaleza Declaration. These sessions were instrumental in shaping Rwanda’s input for the upcoming regional consultation for Eastern and Southern Africa, scheduled to take place in Nairobi, Kenya, later this month.

Mr. Albert Mutesa, Secretary General of CNRU, emphasized the importance of this preparatory process: “In today’s meeting with education stakeholders, we are putting ideas together, evaluating the success so far in our education landscape in fostering quality education and education for all as provided by the SDG4, as we prepare the document to share at the upcoming 2024 Global Education Meeting to be held in Brazil in October.”

**Mr. Albert Mutesa, Secretary General of CNRU, speaking to the media during the national consultation in Kigali.**

Mutesa noted that Rwanda has made significant strides in education and has valuable lessons to share at the global stage, where countries will exchange best practices and strategies.

Pascal Gatabazi, Chief Technical Advisor at MINEDUC, highlighted the need for a thorough assessment of the current educational landscape: “We need to assess what has been done and learn from the existing gaps that need more efforts. The country did a lot in building education infrastructures, many classrooms (over 22,000) were constructed countrywide during COVID-19, which reduced the overcrowd of students, thus boosting the quality of education in the foundational learning.”

Gatabazi reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to achieving the 2030 Agenda in education, ensuring that the country remains on track to meet its targets.

Pascal Gatabazi, Chief Technical Advisor at MINEDUC, speaks to the media, emphasizing the importance of assessing Rwanda’s educational progress and addressing gaps to enhance the quality of foundational learning.

The outputs from this national consultation will be consolidated and contribute to the regional and global discussions, ensuring Rwanda’s perspectives and experiences are well represented at the 2024 GEM.

As the global community gathers to accelerate progress towards SDG4, Rwanda’s proactive approach positions it as a key player in shaping the future of education.

Benson RUKABU, a representative of Rwanda Education for All Coalition, praised the consultation meetings for their role in accelerating the progress of fostering quality and inclusive education, which has a significant impact on the entire education sector.

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