Building Learning Foundations

Context

In 2018, learning outcomes in Rwanda were stagnating, with over 75% of pupils below proficiency levels in English and mathematics. Only 41% of school leaders met national leadership standards, while just 12% of English and 22% of maths teachers achieved expected teaching benchmarks. Few HTs had been trained as instructional leaders, and schools largely operated in isolation without mechanisms for collaboration or shared professional learning. The government’s transition to English as the medium of instruction created new challenges for teachers and learners, particularly in lower primary grades. These challenges underscored the need for a system-wide approach to strengthen the quality of education in english and mathematics in Rwandan primary schools.

Solution

To address these gaps and strengthen the country’s education system, the Government of Rwanda partnered with the Education Development Trust (EDT), British Council, and VSO to implement the five-year Building Learning Foundations (BLF) program. BLF aimed to strengthen the foundations of learning, improving maths and english learning outcomes for primary students in all public and government-aided primary schools in the country. It worked across three interlinked areas:

Teacher development: Building the capacity of English and mathematics teachers through continuous professional development and school-based mentoring.
Leadership for learning: Equipping headteachers with leadership skills through peer-led coaching to drive pedagogical improvement and create professional learning communities.
System strengthening: Improving education sector oversight and data use to sustain reforms and enhance accountability.

The program engaged more than 44,000 education professionals, including teachers, mentors, and school leaders across all 3,000 public and government-aided primary schools nationwide.

Impact

By 2023, the Building Learning Foundations (BLF) program had reached 5 million children and 42,000 teachers across 3,200 schools across Rwanda, exceeding its targets. Teacher competency rose sharply, with 69% of English and 90% of math teachers reaching benchmark proficiency (up by 59 and 63 percentage points since 2018) and 49% achieving CEFR B1 English fluency (29% in 2018). Learner outcomes improved substantially: Grade-level proficiency among Grade 3 students in English increased by by 35 percent points, and maths by 23 points. Inclusive education strengthened, with 500 schools adopting SEN assessment practices, and girls’ confidence in STEM and academic aspirations rose dramatically through school-based girls’ clubs. These achievements underscore how collaborative and comprehensive strategies can drive sustained improvements in teaching quality, inclusion, and learning outcomes.

BLF addressed systemic barriers to quality education, including low teacher capacity, weak school leadership, limited English proficiency, and weak education system infrastructures. The program’s large-scale reach and measurable improvements demonstrate that investing in teacher competence, leadership, and system coherence can significantly enhance foundational learning outcomes. Successful replication, however, requires significant funding and will depend on ensuring strong government commitment, resource allocation, and continuous monitoring for quality education reform.