Joint Press Release EFA FTI and Ministry of Education of Rwanda

World Bank (Washington, DC)

18 May 2011

press release

EFA FTI Board meeting in Rwanda launches new proposals on fragile and   post-conflict states, girls’ education, and quality of learning *

Rwanda is hosting the meeting of the Board of Directors of   the Education for All Fast Track Initiative (EFA FTI) from 17-19 May 2011. The   EFA FTI is an international partnership of developing and donor countries, civil   society organizations and multilateral agencies dedicated to ensuring quality   basic education for all children.

At the meeting in Kigali, the EFA FTI Board of Directors will set policies for   the EFA FTI Partnership for the coming years, including new strategies for education in fragile and post-conflict states, girls’ education, and improving   quality of learning. EFA FTI has been a catalyst in promoting universal basic   education across the world, and Rwanda is extremely proud to be asked to host   these meetings.

EFA FTI has been a key partner for Rwandan education since 2006. In that year,   Rwanda’s ambitious goals for providing basic education for all Rwandan children   were endorsed by the EFA FTI with a two-year grant of US$ 70 million. This   support was bolstered by subsequent grants totaling US$ 105 million covering the   period 2009 – 2013.

This support has contributed towards the outstanding progress in Rwanda’s basic   education sector in the last three years. As testament to this development,   enrollment in basic education doubled between 1998 and 2009, to reach 2.2   million students in 2008. Having made vast strides towards ensuring all children   actually go to school, the Rwandan Ministry of Education is increasing its   attention to ensuring that education quality is improved.

Rwanda’s new Education Sector Strategic Plan 2010-15 sets out the Ministry’s   plans to overcome the challenges it faces in this area. The goals are ambitious;   for example, the teacher–student ratio is targeted to fall from its present   level of 63 to 47 by 2015, and the Ministry of Education is fully committed to   ensuring this goal.

In recognition of Rwanda’s determination to achieve the goal of universal   primary completion, the EFA FTI Partnership has allocated significant financial   resources to the Rwandan education sector over the past years. With financing a   key constraint to achieving the country’s education sector plan, this support is   key to the success of the plan. Indeed, earlier EFA FTI funding had a catalytic   effect in attracting other partners to support the sector. A repeat of this   catalytic effect will be crucial.

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