Mathematics Education in Rwanda: Investigating the Teaching and Learning Challenges

Diana S. Perdue
(Intare Educational Resources, USA)

Abstract: In this paper, I will describe my 6-month tenure as a Fulbright Scholar in Rwanda teaching and learning at some of the country’s leading universities. My Fulbright project focused on the needs of two particular universities: the Kigali Institute of Education (KIE) and the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST). At KIE, I was to help Rwanda reform their mathematics curriculum to make it more student-centered. At KIST, I was Director of E-Learning and was tasked with the development of their distance education program. I will explain the goals that I was able to accomplish and what challenges I encountered along the way. I will also share with you ideas and strategies that helped me adapt to challenges in the classroom (and that I think you can use as well). Finally, you will hear about the challenges and successes that this country is experiencing in terms of distance education.

Key words: mathematics education; Rwanda; challenges