Transforming education: the power of ICT policies - Commonwealth ...

M&E Activities to Date
To date there has been very limited Monitoring and Evaluation of projects and programmes on ICT in Education in
Rwanda. One project that integrated an M&E process throughout the project is the NEPAD eSchools Demonstration
Project, which involved 16 African countries, including Rwanda. This project incorporated a systematic M&E process
throughout the project which lasted for two years. The M&E process was supported by InfoDev in partnership with
the Commonwealth of Learning. This process included consultations with major stakeholders and revealed a host
of key fi ndings which are listed below.
Table 6: Lessons from the NEPAD eSchools Demo Project
Lessons Implications
Unique country contexts should inform appropriate ICT4E models A contextually-relevant framework for each country
Existing examples of good practice need to be drawn upon Draw on the NEPAD Guidelines for Good Practice
Existing projects and organizations need to be included Encourage collaboration with existing initiatives
Superb management expertise is imperative and needs to be
Bolster the capacity of the management agencies and incorporate
developed
a multi-stakeholder management strategy
Management capacity at all levels needs to be developed Build management capacity in governments and schools
Senior leadership commitment is critical for success Urge leadership commitment where these do not exist
Education systems need to be assessed for their ‘readiness’
Conduct e-readiness assessments of each country by drawing
to facilitate interventions of this kind
on the NEPAD eSchools Business Plan guidelines
Implementation is more effective when local companies are involved Involve local companies in next phase implementation
Local models for ICT integration to enhance pedagogy and
Consult existing NEPAD frameworks for the integration of ICT
curriculum reform need to be considered
in curriculum and improving pedagogy
Technical support and maintenance provision at school level
Technical maintenance and support needs to be localized at school
is imperative
level
Utilizing schools as one of many community hubs needs to be Develop the role of the school’s ICT infrastructure in supporting
enhanced
community development
The fi ndings in Table 6 are generalized to all 16 African countries including Rwanda.
The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) pilot project on Windows supported by Microsoft which is currently underway
includes a third-party monitoring and evaluation process which was concluded by the end of March 2010. In
addition, UNESCO is currently working with the Ministry of Education in developing a comprehensive framework
for the monitoring and evaluation of the GoR’s ICT programmes and projects.
Conclusion
Even though the Government of Rwanda’s ICT for Education Policy and Implementation Plan are still in draft form,
they refl ect strong commitment, political will and determination to harness the potential of ICTto enable the
development of a modern, effective and effi cient education system. The experience with ICT in education projects
in Rwanda to date together with their more conscious integration of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms bode
well for signifi cant stakeholder learning including that of the Ministry of Education and the GoR at large, in the
period that lies ahead.
The GoR has also successfully secured partnerships with a wide range of international and local stakeholders
including communities where education institutions are based. The ICT in Education Policy and Implementation
Plan provide clear guidelines for the management of relationships between partners. That the MINEDUC has
established its Rwandan Education Board together with its ICT in Education and ODeL department with dynamic
and committed individuals is an added strength of the ICT in Education process in Rwanda.
Case Study: Rwanda | 189