School leadership
2.1. Leadership standards and roles
2.2. Selection and working conditions
2.3. Leadership preparation and training
3. Teachers, parents and students
3.1. School management committees and boards
4.1. Autonomy of school leaders
4.2. Assessment and accountability of school leaders
4.3. Teacher assessment by school leaders
1. Terminology
The government uses the terms ‘head teacher’, ‘deputy head teacher’ and ‘headmaster’ in education laws. The 2016 Ministerial Order Determining Rules Governing Code of Conduct of Headmasters, Teachers and Students defines a headmaster (umuyobozi w’ishuri or abayobozi b’amashuri in Kinyarwandan) as ‘any person exercising the function of heading a nursery, primary or secondary school’. The 2021 Law Determining the Organisation of Education includes head teachers as part of its definition of a ‘teacher’, defining a teacher as a ‘qualified employee of an education institution who teaches, conducts research, heads an education institution, directs studies or who monitors learners’ discipline and good conduct’ (Article 2). According to the Law, the management of an education institution consists of the ‘head of the education institution’ and the ‘deputy head in charge of studies and the deputy head in charge of discipline appointed according to the category of the education institution and the number of learners’ (Article 42). The 2020 Ministerial Instructions Determining the Modalities for Establishment and Functioning of the Committee in Charge of Selection of Head Teachers and their Deputies in Nursery, Primary, Secondary and Technical and Vocational Schools similarly distinguishes between a ‘head teacher’ and a ‘deputy head teacher’.
The 2021 Leading and Managing Professional Development for Head Teachers and Teachers: Continuous Professional Development Certificate in Educational Mentorship and Coaching distinguishes between school ‘leadership’ and ‘management’. Leadership is ‘linked with vision, change, inspiring and motivating others to perform to the best of their ability’, while management is about ‘planning, organising, implementing and executing decisions, coordinating staff, and making sure that goals of the school are achieved’. It specifies that head teachers act as both managers and leaders in schools. The 2021 Ministerial Order Determining Standards in Education similarly uses the terms ‘school leadership’ (Article 7) and ‘school management’ (Article 32).
Acknowledging the importance of school leadership for the quality of education, the Rwandan Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) has included school leadership as one of the priority areas in the 2018/19 – 2023/24 Education Sector Strategic Plan, stating that ‘head teachers are fundamental to effective school leadership and management, and therefore ensuring the quality of education and efficiency with which it is delivered’. One of the objectives of the plan is ‘improved leadership in schools, TVET and higher education institutions, as well as administration, management and support services’ (Outcome 9.1), aiming to transform their role from an administrative one to becoming ‘true leaders of their schools’. A School Leadership and Management Unit was additionally created within the Teacher Development and Management and Career Guidance and Counselling Department at Rwanda Basic Education Board.
2. School principals
2.1. Leadership standards and roles
Competency standards and leadership frameworks and guidelines
The Ministry of Education, through the Rwanda Basic Education Board (REB), is committed to strengthening effective school leadership. To achieve this goal, REB (through its School Leadership and Management Unit and in collaboration with development partners, schools and local education leaders) developed and validated five professional standards for effective school leadership. The 2020 Professional Standards for Effective School Leadership describe “key roles, responsibilities and functions of school leaders as well as the key competencies required for them to fulfil their responsibilities and achieve school goals”.
The five professional standards defined in the 2020 Professional Standards for Effective School Leadership are 1) Creating a Strategic Direction for the School; 2) Leading Learning; 3) Leading Teaching; 4) Managing the School as an Organisation; and 5) Working with Parents and the Wider Community. For each of these five standards, REB identifies the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required of school leaders, as well as the evidence of competence. The main roles of head teachers are additionally described in education laws, standards and orders.
The Standards are used for leadership practice at all levels of educational leadership, including head teachers, school general assembly organs, policymakers, district and sector education leaders, teacher training institutions and education inspectors among others. Nonetheless, the specific leadership activities described under each standard are biased towards school-level leadership rather than sector, district or central-level leadership. The School Leadership Assessment Toolkit additionally allows for the assessment of these school leadership practices based on the 5 standards (see assessment and accountability of school leaders).
Additional roles and responsibilities for headteachers are outlined in the 2021 Law determining the organisation of education, 2021 Ministerial Order Determining Standards in Education, 2016 Ministerial Order Determining Rules Governing Code of Conduct of Headmasters, Teachers and Students, and 2007 Teacher Development and Management Policy.
Roles
Setting expectations/objectives: According to the 2021 Ministerial Order Determining Standards in Education, school leadership for pre-primary, primary and secondary schools shall have a strategic plan for the school and its implementation. The first professional standard identified in the 2020 Professional Standards for Effective School Leadership is ‘Creating a Strategic Direction for the School’. As part of this standard, effective school leaders are required to have knowledge and understanding of national, regional and international trends as well as best practices in leadership and management of teaching and learning; national strategic priorities in education (especially those that have a high impact on effective teaching and student learning success); the context and culture of the community in which the school is located; developing a vision, a mission and values for the school; the school improvement planning process; and effective communication. Skills required include thinking strategically, critically, analytically and reflectively about school improvement matters; setting a school vision, mission and values in collaboration with members of the school community; communicating clearly and effectively the school vision, mission and values; using student and school performance data to inform school decisions and actions to improve teaching, learning and student success; leading the school improvement planning process and managing its implementation; inspiring and motivating members of the school community to support the achievement of the school vision; and monitoring the implementation of the school improvement plan. Attitudes required include setting learning goals; putting student learning achievement first in all undertakings; continuous school improvement and professional learning; and inputs from the school community members in the school improvement planning process. The evidence of competence for Creating a School Strategic Direction includes a written school vision, mission and values visible and accessible for all, a report on student and school performance, and a School Improvement Plan, which shows the involvement of the school community and has reports on implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
The 2019 Leadership for learning: A headteacher’s professional companion (published by the Rwanda Education Board) also emphasizes the head teacher’s role in creating a whole school vision and mission focused on learning.
Developing teaching and learning: The development of teaching and learning is included in several standards described for school leadership and management. The 2016 Ministerial Order Determining Rules Governing Code of Conduct of Headmasters, Teachers and Students specifically states that the headmaster must be the promoter and pillar of quality development in school education (Article 3). Similarly, the 2021 Ministerial Order Determining Standards in Education states that the school management and teaching staff shall strive for the development of education in general and their school in particular (Article 32). According to the 2021 Law determining the organisation of education, the management of an educational institution is responsible for ensuring the daily administration of the educational institution, teaching and learning, the conduct of teachers and other staff members, learners, and the management of the education institution’s property to improve the quality of education (Article 43).
‘Leading Learning’ and ‘Leading Teaching’ are two of the five professional standards described in the 2020 Professional Standards for Effective School Leadership. The ‘Leading Teaching’ standard expects school leaders to set teaching expectations, provide sufficient teaching and learning resources for the effective implementation of the curriculum, use data to inform effective teaching process and assessment, and use ICT for improving the quality of teaching, data collection, analysis and reporting. According to the ‘Leading Learning’ standard, an effective school leader must have knowledge and understanding of the theories, principles and effective strategies of learning; assessment of learning; the importance of continuously collecting and documenting data on student learning progress and using the data to improve area where learning has not met expectation; strategies for raising student learning achievement; and the importance of a conducive and supportive environment for learning. Skills required for leading learning include setting student learning goals; communicating learning expectations; continuously collecting, recording and analysing data on student learning progress for the purpose of identifying learning gaps and making plans for addressing their root causes; facilitating the integration of ICT in the learning process; creating a supportive, inclusive and conducive learning environment; and being a role model for students. Effective school leaders should additionally be committed (as part of the required attitudes) to facilitating high learning achievement for all students, supporting struggling learners to achieve their full learning potential; and sustaining a conducive and supportive learning environment. Evidence of competence for leading learning includes a record of SMART learning goals and students’ performance targets; student learning performance contracts between students and the head teacher; and records of accomplishments facilitated through established structures and systems for collaborative learning and problem solving among students.
The 2020 Professional Standards for Effective School Leadership also define a fifth professional standard: ‘Managing the school as an organisation’, which expects head teachers to make management decisions that enhance learning and teaching, and have knowledge of relevant educational and school laws, policies, standards, processes, procedures and priorities and the ability to translate them into daily school operations.
The 2019 Leadership for learning: A headteacher’s professional companion also includes information for head teachers on how leadership for learning supports a school’s improvement and success, and how head teachers can drive school improvement.
Promoting collaboration: The 2021 Ministerial Order Determining Standards in Education describes that the school leadership for pre-primary, primary and secondary shall promote collaboration between the school, parents and the wider community (Article 7). One of the standards defined in the 2020 Professional Standards for Effective School Leadership is ‘Working with Parents and the Wider Community’, with school leaders required to have knowledge and understanding of strategies for involving parents, local development partners and the local community in the activities of the school; the trend and impact of community and student mobility on student learning; government policies and legal frameworks related to schools’ partnership and collaboration with parents and community; and the roles and responsibilities of parents, the School General Assembly, and its committees. Effective school leaders are expected to build positive relationships with parents and members of the wider community; respond appropriately to identified current and future educational challenges within the school community; mobilise parents and the wider community to support school activities that contribute to the realization of the school mission, vision, objectives and goals; build the capacity of parents and local community members to ensure their support for teaching and learning process; and participate in community development activities. Evidence of competence for working with parents and the wider community includes the establishment of a home-school communication system; organized and documented school programs and events involving parents, other institutions and the community; minutes of the meetings with the School General Assembly and its committees; lists and reports of activities accomplished through parents, community and school partnership; and records of capacity building activities for parents and local community members. They are additionally expected to promote collaborative teaching and problem-solving among teachers, and periodically report school performance results to members of the school community. The 2019 Leadership for learning: A headteacher’s professional companion similarly includes information on how head teachers can encourage collaboration with the wider community, between schools and school leaders, and among other stakeholders.
Supporting staff development: According to the 2016 Ministerial Order Determining Rules Governing Code of Conduct of Headmasters, Teachers and Students, the headmaster must promote the integral development of persons under their supervision (Article 3). As stated in the 2007 Teacher Development and Management Policy, head teachers and teacher mentors play a pivotal role in school-based teacher training; a leading role in the induction of newly appointed teachers; and where possible, serve as resource personnel in continuous professional development activities at school and district levels. All beginning teachers (defined as teachers in the first 3 years of their career) receive systematic professional support from their head teachers, mentors and school inspectors specially trained for this purpose. The 2020 Professional Standards for Effective School Leadership’s ‘Leading Teaching’ standard additionally expects effective school leaders to plan and provide teacher support and organise continuous professional development activities for teachers. The 2019 School General Assembly Committees: Members’ Handbook similarly emphasises that the headteacher is responsible for improving teachers’ skills, observing lessons and giving teachers feedback to help them improve, and ensuring that all teachers participate in continuous professional development activities for at least 2 hours per week.
Acting in accordance with the ethical principles of the profession: Head teachers and teachers are required to take an oath to comply with the professional ethics of education, in accordance with the 2020 Presidential Order establishing special statutes governing teachers in nursery, primary, secondary and technical and vocational schools. According to the 2020 Presidential Order establishing special statutes governing teachers in nursery, primary, secondary and technical and vocational schools, head teachers are only appointed if they meet certain requirements, which include having integrity and outstanding professional ethics (Article 26). The 2020 Professional Standards for Effective School Leadership additionally expect school leaders to be characterized by integrity, truth and trustworthiness in all dealings with school community members, respect all members of the school community, and accept that different views from members of the school community are beneficial to improvement of school leadership and management, teaching and learning results. The ethical principles of school leaders are also referred to in the 2016 Ministerial Order Determining Rules Governing Code of Conduct of Headmasters, Teachers and Students, which state that the headmaster must promote justice and avoid any form of discrimination or favouritism; avoid abusing their powers for their own interests; and not conceal any act of misconduct committed by a member of staff or by any student of the school, whether committed within or outside the school (Article 3). Finally, according to the 2021 Ministerial Order Determining Standards in Education, school management and teaching staff shall be characterised by decent behaviour.
Others: The 2020 Professional Standards for Effective School Leadership also define a fifth professional standard: ‘Managing the school as an organisation’, which expects head teachers to make management decisions that enhance learning and teaching, and have knowledge of relevant educational and school laws, policies, standards, processes, procedures and priorities and the ability to translate them into daily school operations.
2.2. Selection and working conditions
Degree requirements and prior teaching experience
According to the 2020 Presidential Order establishing special statutes governing teachers in nursery, primary, secondary and technical and vocational schools, head teachers are only appointed when they fulfil certain requirements, which include being in at least the third category of teachers (i.e. senior primary or secondary teacher), the second category in the case of deputy head teachers, and having outstanding performance (Article 26). The categories and requirements to become a fully qualified teacher are defined in detail in the law. All teachers (including head teachers) must have a teaching license and certified degree or diploma/certificate in education accredited in Rwanda to be appointed (Article 28). According to the Rwanda Education Board, head teachers for secondary education level must have a bachelor’s degree in education or a bachelor’s degree in another field with a postgraduate diploma in education.
The 2020 Ministerial Instructions Determining the Modalities for Establishment and Functioning of the Committee in Charge of Selection of Head Teachers and their Deputies in Nursery, Primary, Secondary and Technical and Vocational Schools describes the requirements for the selection of head teachers or deputy head teachers, including documentary evidence of the category reached, outstanding professional performance (evidence of which includes a document attesting the performance of their students during the last 3 years), integrity, professional ethics, and leadership (Article 11). Only teachers who have at least 5 years of seniority in teaching have the right to provide their applications for the post of Director or Deputy (Article 12).
The 2020 Professional Standards for Effective School Leadership provide the basis for the recruitment of school leaders by describing the work that school leaders do (job description) and specifying the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values required to do the work (person specification).
Appointment decision
Head teachers and deputy head teachers are recruited by a Committee that is composed of experts from the Ministry of Education (at the national level) and the City of Kigali or the District (at the district level), as stipulated in the 2020 Presidential Order establishing special statutes governing teachers in nursery, primary, secondary and technical and vocational schools (Article 25). Committee members at the district level are nominated by the district administration, with the selection process occurring at the concerned district.
The 2020 Ministerial Instructions Determining the Modalities for Establishment and Functioning of the Committee in Charge of Selection of Head Teachers and their Deputies in Nursery, Primary, Secondary and Technical and Vocational Schools determines the functions of the Committee in charge of selecting head teachers and deputy head teachers and the modalities for the appointment of committee members. According to the ministerial instructions, members of the Committee at the national level include one staff from the institution in charge of school leadership and management in general education; one staff from the institution in charge of school leadership and management in technical and vocational education; and two staff from the Ministry of Education (Article 5). At the district level, members of the Committee are nominated by the district administration, and include 3 district head teachers (from state or state-funded primary, secondary, and technical/vocational schools) who demonstrate outstanding performance in school leadership and management as well as students’ academic performance, and two district staff (from Human Resources the Education Unit) (Article 4).
The Committee's decision to select a head teacher or a deputy head teacher is made through the analysis of the files of the teachers who have applied and submitted their applications to the Ministry of Education through the public service e-recruitment portal. For subsidized schools, the school owner submits application files of 3 candidates for each position that meet requirements to the Ministry of Education through the public service e-recruitment portal. The candidate who has the best score according to the requirements prescribed in Article 11 is selected.
Employment equity measures
The 2003 Constitution commits to building a state based on the principle of equality of all Rwandans before the law as well as equality between men and women. The 2008 Girls’ Education Policy aims to work towards a 50:50 balance of appointments of females and males as head teachers and principals, in addition to identifying and training women with potential at entry and middle management levels and fast tracking them into education management positions. According to the 2007 Teacher Development and Management Policy, there is a need to ensure that there are no major gender disparities at each level of the teaching force, which will be taken into consideration in teacher recruitment. The Rwanda Education Board, in collaboration with the Building Learning Foundations team, has additionally made efforts to support female school leadership through training on gender and recruitment of middle leadership positions.
Working conditions
The 2020 Presidential Order establishing special statutes governing teachers in nursery, primary, secondary and technical and vocational schools includes provisions for the working conditions of teachers (including head teachers and deputy head teachers), such as the types of leave (annual, incidental, maternity, sick leave, and authorized absence), salary, termination benefits, and retirement. All teachers (including head teachers and deputy head teachers) are considered public servants and governed by the 2020 Law establishing the general statute governing public servants. Public servants are employed on a permanent basis through an employment contract, with their salaries determined in accordance with the job classification table for public servants. The government additionally grants 300 in-service teachers bursaries every year.
In 2022, the Ministry of Education, with the aim to improve the welfare of teachers, announced an increase in the salaries of teachers, head teachers, and deputy head teachers. Following the increase of teachers’ salaries, the Ministry of Public Service and Labour released a new salary structure, where a head teacher may take home up to Rwf 1 million (779.40 USD) and beyond. The structure was followed by a ministerial order that indicated an increase by 88% of the salary of a teacher with A2 level. A head teacher with a bachelor’s degree and multiple years of experience will take home Rwf 1.32million per month, while a new head teacher or Grade 2 (1-3 years’ experience) with a bachelor’s degree will earn a gross salary of Rwf541,644 and net salary of Rwf314,450. According to the ministry, salaries increase every three years.
Teachers also have the right to establish or join any trade union of their choice (Article 72). Head teachers and teachers are part of the Education Staff Union of Rwanda (SYPERWA). The Heads of School Leadership Organization (HOSO) further aims to ‘improve quality and standards of education through competitive school leadership and management’.
2.3. Leadership preparation and training
Pre-service training
The 2020 Professional Standards for Effective School Leadership aim to guide the design of pre-service training and in-service professional development programs for school leaders since they define the work that school leaders do and specify the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values required of them to do the work.
Induction and in-service training
Teachers (including head teachers) have the right and the duty to undertake capacity development programs to improve their expertise and knowledge, in accordance with the 2020 Presidential Order establishing special statutes governing teachers in nursery, primary, secondary and technical and vocational schools and relevant laws. Continuing profession development courses for teachers (including head teachers) are organised in subjects including: pedagogical and instructional; measurement and assessment; inclusive education; guidance and counselling; integration of ICT in teaching and learning; self-awareness and values formation; and mentoring and coaching (Article 52).
The continuous professional development of head teachers is also strongly supported by the 2018/19 – 2023/24 Education Sector Strategic Plan, which aims for head teachers to be trained and supported in school leadership to ensure they have sufficient skills to support the continuous professional development of their teaching staff (Outcome 9.1). The objective is to increase the number of school leaders trained and mentored in leadership and management, which includes school-based continuous professional development of head teachers through school-based mentorship and the establishment of district continuous professional development committees. The 2019 Leadership for learning: A headteacher’s professional companion can also be used by primary school head teachers as a guiding tool during sessions of professional learning communities. There are further ambitions to make continuous professional development on effective school leadership as mandatory for pre- and in-service head teachers, although this has not yet been defined in a law or policy.
Since 2016, the Rwanda Education Board, University of Rwanda, and VVOB – Education for Development have been providing a diploma programme on Effective School Leadership to school leaders, which is built around the five professional development standards for school leaders, the 2023 Continuous Professional Development Diploma in Effective School Leadership and 2023 Continuous Professional Development Certificate in Educational Mentorship and Coaching: Leading and Managing Professional Development for Head Teachers and Teachers. In the programme, attention is paid to both concentrated and distributed forms of leadership, inclusive education and both task and emotional dimensions of school leadership. The programme was originally offered as a year-long programme with 18 contact days (16 training days in blocks of 2 days and 2 examination days). In 2019, the programme was offered as a blended programme, with 14 training days face-to-face (f2f) and 2 days through online/distance learning. As of 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the full programme was entirely offered online, except for the examinations which were done face-to-face. There is also a system of coaching and professional learning communities established to complement in-service training and build a national and local cadre of leaders of learning who can support head teachers.
3. Teachers, parents and students
3.1. School management committees and boards
The 2021 Law determining the organisation of education determines the composition and responsibilities of the School General Assembly and its affiliated organs, the School Executive Committee and the School Audit Committee. The 2019 School General Assembly Committees: Members’ Handbook additionally provides a detailed guide on the roles, responsibilities, membership, and election of the School General Assembly and the School General Assembly Committee. The purpose of the Handbook is to enable members to be well informed about their effective role in supporting school leadership, overall student performance and learning outcomes. The election of members of the School General Assembly, Executive Committee, and Audit Committee is additionally regulated by the 2016 Ministerial Order Determining General Rules Governing Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools and Functioning of School General Assembly and its Subsidiary Organs.
The School General Assembly is the supreme organ of an educational institution, monitoring the general functioning of the school and ensuring its development. According to the 2021 Law determining the organisation of education, the School General Assembly is composed of 1) parents of children enrolled in the education institution; 2) members of the management of the education institution; 3) teachers of the education institution; 4) two learner representatives (including, where possible, a male and a female elected by their peers); 5) the owner of the education institution their representative; 6) and any other person approved by the General Assembly (Article 35). At least 30% of the School General Committee should be female, while the representation of parents from different social/economic statuses, different geographical locations, parents with disabilities or parents of children with special needs (physical or learning difficulties), and other parents from families at most risk of being excluded from school and school activities is encouraged. Responsibilities of the School General Assembly include the adoption of the school vision and the institution’s internal rules and regulations, approval of the school action plan and annual budget, and appointment and dismissal of Executive Committee and Audit members (Article 37).
The School Executive Committee (an affiliated organ of the School General Assembly) consists of 1) five parents elected by peers (including a chairperson and a deputy chairperson); 2) the head of the education institution (who also acts as rapporteur); 3) the owner of the education institution (or their representative in case of state subsidised or private institutions); 4) two teachers representing their peers (including a male and a female elected by their peers); and 5) two learners representing their peers, including a male and a female (where possible, elected by their peers) (Article 38). The School Executive Committee is responsible for monitoring compliance with laws and regulations governing the education institution, monitoring the management of the school’s property and the welfare of learners, examining problems faced by the school and advising on how to address them, advising on the institution’s budget, and submitting reports to the School General Assembly (Article 39).
The School Audit Committee (also an affiliate organ of the School General Assembly) consists of 1) a chairperson and deputy chairperson elected among parents who are not members of the Executive Committee; 2) a teacher elected by their peers (who also acts as rapporteur); 3) a learner elected by their peers; 4) the Sector education officer; and 5) the Executive Secretary of the Cell where the school is located (Article 40). Responsibilities include monitoring the management of the school’s finances and property; monitoring compliance with the institution’s internal rules and regulations; controlling school feeding at the institution; submitting audit reports to the School General Assembly; and auditing the functioning of the Executive Committee (Article 41).
The 2020 Presidential Order establishing special statutes governing teachers in nursery, primary, secondary and technical and vocational schools additionally provides for the establishment and composition of the internal disciplinary committee (Article 99), which is a requirement for every school, and includes a male and a female parent representing parents whose children are learners at the school.
3.2. Middle leaders
The 2020 Presidential Order establishing special statutes governing teachers in nursery, primary, secondary and technical and vocational schools describes the categories of teachers in primary (Article 5) and secondary schools (Article 6), which include Senior Teachers (Category 3), Principal Teachers (Category 4), Senior Principal Teachers (Category 5), and Master Teachers (Category 6), for both education levels. Teachers are promoted to a higher grade in the job classification after fulfilling specific eligibility requirements (Article 11;12), which include the completion of 3 years of teaching experience, a performance evaluation that shows that they are competent and scored at least 70% every year during 3 consecutive years, and the successful completion of continuous professional development courses. Teachers can also be placed in the special category of Honorary teacher if they have been admitted to retirement as a Master teacher, have never been subject to any administrative sanction or penalty, and demonstrated outstanding performance recognized by the Ministry of Education. in collaboration with the City of Kigali or District (Article 14).
School-based mentors and school subject leaders are teachers selected by their peers to act as teacher leaders. They are expected to show personal leadership in professional development; coordinate school-based continuous professional development; support new teachers; stimulate reflection through lesson observations and feedback; and are general coaches and mentors to support their colleagues in becoming better teachers. The 2021 Leading and Managing Professional Development for Head Teachers and Teachers: Continuous Professional Development Certificate in Educational Mentorship and Coaching describes the roles and responsibilities of school-based mentors and school subject leaders.
There are also positions such as ‘dean of studies’ and ‘dean of discipline’, who are both considered deputy head teachers.
According to the 2007 Teacher Development and Management Policy, the Ministry of Education applies a phased approach to teacher development, with promotion mechanisms based upon agreed performance criteria. Teacher grades may include but not be limited to: (i) senior teacher grade II; (ii) senior teacher grade I in charge of a specific area of specialization such as guidance and counselling, physical education and sports; and (iii) Head of department for ICT, science, humanities, languages.
3.3. Parents
The Parent-School Partnership for Education Toolkit highlights the best practices for effectively developing parent-school relationships that support students’ learning both in and out of school. Parents and school leadership are viewed as ‘partners in decisions that affect children and families’ and ‘active participants in the life of the school’. The toolkit aims to ensure that parents’ values and interests are heard and respected, allow for more engaged and supportive parents, and make the school more accountable to its community.
According to the toolkit and the 2019 School General Assembly Committees: Members’ Handbook, parents are mainly involved in school leadership through the School General Assembly Council. Parents are strongly encouraged to actively participate in various School General Assembly Committees, after-school, home and community activities which support improved learner achievement, which includes participating in the development of the school improvement plan. Representation of both male and female parents is encouraged, in addition to representation of parents from different social/economic statuses, different geographical locations, parents with disabilities or parents of children with special needs (physical or learning difficulties), and other parents from families at most risk of being excluded from school and school activities.
3.4. Students
The 2021 Law determining the organisation of education describes the composition and responsibilities of the Learners’ Council (Article 45). The internal rules of each school determine the functioning of the Learners’ Council. The Learners’ Council consists of all learners in the education institution, who are responsible for giving their opinion on the learning, teaching, conduct and welfare of learners; participating in various works related to the general activities of the school; electing their representatives to the General Assembly, Executive Committee and Audit Committee; participating in the fight against the use of drugs and other immoral behaviours among learners everywhere and at all times; participating in the fight against any form of violence; preventing and fighting genocide ideology, sectarianism, discrimination and any form of favouritism; and contributing to the promotion of Rwandan values, sports, culture and leisure.
4. Governance
4.1. Autonomy of school leaders
School leaders have various levels of autonomy in relation to pedagogical approaches in schools, although the curriculum, main education policies, and standards are set at the national level. However, school leaders have an impact on how the intended curriculum is enacted (implemented) by teachers, how the enacted curriculum translates into student learning, and what learners learn outside the curriculum. According to the 2020 Professional Standards for Effective School Leadership, school leaders are responsible for communicating the learning expectations (curriculum) to the school, setting student learning goals, using data to inform effective teaching processes and assessment, facilitating the use of ICT in the learning process, and preparing lesson demonstrations. The 2021 School Leadership Assessment Toolkit additionally states that school leaders are responsible for monitoring teachers’ planning and curriculum coverage and providing oral and written feedback as appropriate.
Head teachers are not responsible for hiring teachers, with the responsibility for teachers’ recruitment and appointment undertaken by the City of Kigali and the District; the Ministry in charge of education; and the Ministry in charge of public service. The Mayor of the City of Kigali or the Mayor of the District appoints teachers in accordance with the list transmitted by the Ministry of Education, as described in the 2020 Presidential Order establishing special statutes governing teachers in nursery, primary, secondary and technical and vocational schools. Head teachers can impose sanctions on teachers upon recommendation from the School Disciplinary Committee, with a copy sent to the Sector and to the City of Kigali or the District where the school is located.
Head teachers are responsible for managing and allocating resources (human, financial, physical, knowledge and time) in a way that maximizes impact on teaching, student earning results and achievement of other school objectives, as described in the 2020 Professional Standards for Effective School Leadership.
4.2. Assessment and accountability of school leaders
The 2020 Professional Standards for Effective School Leadership provide the framework for the performance assessment of school leaders, and are used for monitoring, evaluating and supporting the performance of school leaders. In addition, the role of the School General Assembly Committee, as defined in the 2019 School General Assembly Committees: Members’ Handbook, is to hold the headteacher to account for the performance of the school. This means asking the headteacher to explain and provide evidence about what they are doing to improve the quality of teaching and learning in the school.
The 2021 School Leadership Assessment Toolkit, published by the Rwanda Education Board, was developed to assess the performance of schools against the 2020 Professional Standards for Effective School Leadership in order to support school leaders in their process of becoming more effective leaders. It includes an assessment tool and two evaluation tools that support assessors in objectively scoring the indicators: an observation checklist and Key Informant Interview guides. The school leadership assessment tool consists of 70 indicators that belong to one of the five standards or the cross-cutting issue: school environment. All five standards are divided into additional sub-standards to allow for a more in-depth analysis of the issues at stake. The toolkit aims to help education stakeholders monitor and/or evaluate the application of the professional standards at the school level. It should primarily be used as a capacity-building tool, to support school leaders in improving the quality of education in their schools. The toolkit can be used by different education stakeholders, including national-level inspectors, district and sector officials, and development partners who are active in the area of school leadership support. The toolkit helps stakeholders in monitoring and/or evaluating the application of professional standards at the school level to inform areas of improvement toward quality of education.
According to the 2018/19 – 2023/24 Education Sector Strategic Plan, effective school leadership will be measured through the assessment of actual practice, and not simply the completion of training or possession of a certificate. The Ministry of Education aims to establish and utilise competency-based performance frameworks to assess teachers and school leaders, holding head teachers and teachers accountable for ensuring learning outcomes are achieved. Sector education inspectors and district directors of education additionally assess and hold school leaders accountable.
4.3. Teacher assessment by school leaders
The 2020 Professional Standards for Effective School Leadership’s ‘Leading Teaching’ standard expects effective school leaders to monitor and evaluate teacher practice and performance based on the teacher performance evaluation form.
This profile was reviewed by Jef Peeraer, Global Strategic Education Advisor at VVOB; and Simeon Oliver Lauterbach, PhD. Student in Economics at the Geneva Graduate Institute.
