AFRICA. Rwanda: As part of the Rwandan government’s effort to make working conditions favourable for its civil servants, it has concluded an arrangement to increase the monthly salary of primary school teachers by 88 per cent while secondary teachers will enjoy a 40 per cent increase.
This was contained in a communiqué issued by the country’s Minister of Education, Dr Valentine Uwamariya, via her Twitter handle. Where she said that the gesture was part of the country’s measure to improve teachers’ livelihoods and living conditions.
“Under these new revisions, secondary school teachers will see their pay increased by 40 per cent while the primary school teachers will enjoy an 88 per cent increase, ” Uwamariya said.
Uwamariya further stated that the current net worth of every certificate holder in the teaching field in Rwanda stands at 0,849 FRW (Ksh.5,856) and will go up to Ksh.11,010 when the new policy is implemented by August this year.
The Head Teachers, Deputy Head Teachers, and supporting staff working in every public or government institution or establishment will enjoy the upward review of their salary. These decisions come into force from the payment of the teacher salaries in August 2022, the statement added.
Findings revealed that over 1,000 Rwandan nationals who are teachers abandoned their job every month in search of a better livelihood. And also since 2019, the Rwandan government has increased the payment of its teachers by 10 per cent.
The increment of teachers’ pay in Rwanda by the Rwandan government is part of an effort to put the standard of public schools in place and to further strengthen the quality of education and living conditions of its teachers in the country.
According to United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), out of 97 per cent of children enrolled in primary school in Rwanda, only 71 per cent of them complete their primary education. This is attributed to overcrowded classrooms with about 62 students per qualified teacher.
However, despite the above-mentioned challenges, UNICEF also revealed that, in sub-Saharan Africa countries like Angola, Burundi, Chad and Comoros Rwanda is one among the top performing countries in education.
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