Education begins at home, and parents must play a stronger role in shaping their children’s discipline, values and readiness to learn, the Minister of Education, Joseph Nsengimana has said, warning that while Rwanda has made major strides in expanding access to schooling, the country has yet to achieve the quality of education it aspires to.
Speaking during the closure of the National Dialogue Council, the Minister acknowledged major gains in enrollment across all levels of education, including pre-primary, secondary, and higher learning institutions. However, he emphasized that increased numbers alone do not guarantee quality education outcomes.
“We have not yet reached where we want to be,” the Minister said. “To reach our goals, we must all work together as Rwandans.”
The Minister stressed that education begins long before children enter classrooms, noting that schools can only build on the foundation provided at home.
“Education is built on good upbringing. Parents must take care of their children from an early age because schools build on the foundation children bring from home,” he said.
He warned that sending children to school without proper discipline, values, and early learning readiness undermines the impact of government investments in education infrastructure, teachers, and curriculum reforms. According to the Minister, parental neglect in early upbringing creates challenges that schools alone cannot fix.
To strengthen collaboration, the Minister called on parents to actively engage with schools by accompanying their children, knowing teachers and school administrators, and following up on academic progress. He said such cooperation is essential to improving learning outcomes and overall education quality.
While emphasizing parental responsibility, the Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving the education sector. He highlighted ongoing investments in Technical and Vocational Education and Training aimed at equipping learners with practical, job-ready skills aligned with labor market needs.
He also pointed to continued efforts to improve learning environments, including the construction of 27,500 classrooms between 2017 and 2024 to reduce overcrowding in schools. These measures, he said, are intended to support better teaching and learning conditions nationwide.
Pichou Byiringiro/The kaminuza star