NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON SCHOOL MANAGEMENT AND SCHOOL LEADERSHIP Leadership for Learning Umubano Hotel, November 2013 REPUBLIC OF RWANDA MINEDUC REB-WDA-UR/CoE

BEST PRACTICES IN PEER TO PEER LEARNING AT DISTRICT LEVEL Presented by: Sister Marie Pélagie UMUMARARUNGU Head teacher of GROUPE SCOLAIRE MATER DEI NYANZA-SCHOOL OF REFERENCE

PRESENTATION OUTLINE 1.INTRODUCTION 2.CONCEPT AND PURPOSE OF PEER TO PEER LEARNING (PPL) 3.HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF PPL IN RWANDA 4.PPL STRATEGIC PLAN: A CASE OF NYANZA DISTRICT 5.BENEFITS OF PPL PROGRAM 6.OUTCOMES OF PPL 7.WAY FORWARD

INTRODUCTION This presentation is about the best practices in peer to peer learning for effective leadership and management in schools. The PPL Program was initiated to address the problem of ineffective school management affecting the school performance. School management was identified to have significant effect on quality and effective education. Scope of work: 9/12 YBE and Secondary schools.

CONCEPT AND PURPOSE OF PEER TO PEER LEARNING (PPL) Learning from one another, from a school to another and sharing the best practices from the various schools of the same district with focus on effective leadership and management A framework for exchanging experiences on positive actions within the schools; a platform where Head teachers and staff of schools within the district meet. Schools with good school management can teach surrounding schools in the district about qualitative school management.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF PPL IN RWANDA In the framework of EDPRS II and Vision 2020 to provide Rwanda with skilled human resources, the Ministry of Education through Rwanda Education Board (REB) in partnership with VVOB launched the PPL program in The program has been meant to improve school management in 9/12 YBE and secondary schools via training and modules on the main management topics. The program has led to the creation of 30 pilot schools (one School of reference per district for each of the 30 districts of Rwanda).

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF PPL IN RWANDA (Cont’d) Training of the 30 Head teachers on PPL with regard to effective leadership, effective management applied to the provision of high quality education, development of strategic plans. REB involved Districts and Administrative Sectors on the new PPL program. Head teachers of School of reference consulted with Districts and Administrative Sectors and discussed on the new PPL program implementation aiming at creating awareness of PPL at local authorities level.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF PPL IN RWANDA (Cont’d) Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between VVOB and the Schools Of Reference (SoR). The SoR started the activities: i.e. In Nyanza District, GSMD NYANZA (SoR of Nyanza District) launched PPL on 26/11/2012, organized and conducted various workshops.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF PPL IN RWANDA (Cont’d) 10/12/2012: Workshop of PPL for SEOs and Head teachers 5-6/9/2013: Workshop of PPL for Deputy Head teachers in charge of studies 12/9/2013: Workshop of PPL for Deputy Head teachers in charge of discipline 26/09/2013: Workshop of PPL for Secretaries 27/09/2013: Workshop of PPL for Bursars 04/10/2013: Workshop of PPL for SEOs, Head teachers and Deputy Head teachers in charge of studies

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF PPL IN RWANDA (Cont’d) 11/11/2013: Workshop on the evaluation of PPL for effective leadership and management.

PPL STRATEGIC PLAN: A CASE OF NYANZA DISTRICT OVERALL/GENERAL OBJECTIVE: To build the capacity of the school leadership of the district so that it can contribute effectively to the provision of the quality education through the implementation of the peer to peer learning; organization of high quality training and mutual support between school leaders.

PPL STRATEGIC PLAN: A CASE OF NYANZA DISTRICT(Cont’d) SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES (SO): SO1: The school administrative staff of secondary schools of the district are trained and coached on the job and can handle their tasks effectively. SO2: The peer to peer learning program is implemented within the schools of the district to raise the levels of the students’ academic performance.

PPL STRATEGIC PLAN: A CASE OF NYANZA DISTRICT(Cont’d) SO3: All schools of the district are empowered enough and can apply the principles of effective school leadership through proper school planning, accountability in school finances and the involvement of the parents and the community in the school management. SO4: The peer to peer learning program is implemented within the schools of the district to increase the students’ discipline through the application of the cross-cutting programs.

PPL STRATEGIC PLAN: A CASE OF NYANZA DISTRICT(Cont’d) SO5: The peer to peer learning program remains effective and coordinated through proper reporting, monitoring and evaluation and active Head teachers associations.

BENEFITS OF PPL PROGRAM Benefits at leadership and management level - Harmonization of working methods. - Common understanding of staff duties and responsibilities (Brainstorming and refreshment on school staff members responsibilities). - Improvement of day to day work. - Motivation of staff (i.e. PPL program motivated staff members to easily have access to their superiors). - Improvement of team work spirit. - Acquisition of leadership skills.

BENEFITS OF PPL PROGRAM (Cont’d) -Transparency in leadership. - Increase of self-confidence for staff. - Increase of trust among the administrative staff within the school. - Acquisition of planning skills including Action planning, Strategic planning, Budgeting as well as M&E skills. - Acquisition of decision making skills. - Acquisition of conflict resolution skills. - Brainstorming on schools’ strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT).

BENEFITS OF PPL PROGRAM (Cont’d) - Brainstorming on schools problems and the most appropriate solutions (Problem solving model). - Promotion of good innovations. -Better ways of understanding and counseling pupils/students. -Good collaboration among administrative staff members. - Knowledge of how to properly manage the school financial and human resources available. -

BENEFITS OF PPL PROGRAM (Cont’d) -Improvement of the reporting system (technical and financial). -Prevention from bad records with regard to school auditing. -To learn from others and duplicate best practices from other schools. -To know about some English language problems faced by the teachers while lecturing or delivering their lessons.

BENEFITS OF PPL PROGRAM (Cont’d) Benefits at partnership level -Partnership with local authorities (District level, Sector level, parents and neighboring school community). -Enhancement of collaboration and partnership between administrative staff members from different schools having the same position, which will obviously impact on pupils/students performance (Exchange experience, such as: i)Sharing resources; ii)Effective allocation of resources).

BENEFITS OF PPL PROGRAM (Cont’d) -Complementarities between school administrative staff members. -Assistance between schools. -Relationship between staff from various schools (staff to know each other).

OUTCOMES OF PPL Conducive environment in the school for effective leadership and management. Students’ performance in terms of holistic education including academic and discipline.

WAY FORWARD It has been strongly recommended to pursue PPL. Roadmap on the institutional framework Establishment of a PPL Committee at District level to support and coordinate PPL activities at Sector level. PPL to be decentralized up to administrative Sector level. Establishment of PPL Center at administrative Sector level.

WAY FORWARD (Cont’d) Roadmap on communication (Sensitization/Awareness/Dissemination of information) Creation of PPL District media for publishing PPL activities (i.e. A newspaper on PPL for people involved in school leadership and management to exchange information and ideas). Creation of a PPL website and international networking system.

WAY FORWARD (Cont’d) To keep on sharing quality education innovations and disseminate them to others. Put into practice all relevant advices and recommendations from PPL in order to achieve high quality education. To extend PPL to pupils/students level. To start PPL program in administrative Sectors and include Primary Head teachers. To extend PPL program to Primary schools.

WAY FORWARD (Cont’d) Roadmap on leadership and management To implement the outcomes or recommendations from the different PPL workshops. Plan a timetable of PPL activities in the district. Monitoring and evaluation of PPL at different levels for better productivity and efficiency. Enforcement of training through increase of number of trainings and increase target groups to reach teachers and pupils/students.

WAY FORWARD (Cont’d) Regular meetings and workshops at administrative Sector level for school staff members having the same responsibilities (e.g. Meeting of School Head teachers; meeting of School Deputy Head teachers in charge of studies; meeting of School Deputy Heads of discipline; meeting of School Secretaries; meeting of School Bursars; etc.)

WAY FORWARD (Cont’d) Roadmap on partnership Mutual school visits should be encouraged to assess whether the recommendations from the workshops are being implemented. Find occasions and opportunities to meet with colleagues and staff members in order to share experience (e.g. New Year and Christmas ceremonies). Inter-school visits in Nyanza District, in other districts and outside the country.

WAY FORWARD (Cont’d) Roadmap on funding Establish a PPL Fund at District level for PPL sustainability to strengthen M&E activities in PPL program. Advocate that he districts allocate a budget line to support PPL program.

WAY FORWARD (Cont’d) Advocate that the15% of Capitation Grant initially allocated for training be channeled in PPL to support trainings, seminars, workshops, study tours and other relevant activities as per the strategic plan. Establish or put in place a cooperative of school staff members and elect/appoint a committee to lead the cooperative aiming at striving for self-reliance.

MURAKOZE ! THANK YOU ! MERCI ! ASANTE !