Over the past year and a half, SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda has been implementing remedial learning through the Kura Umenye Program to support academically challenged children in primary schools.

The targeted children are vulnerable students from primary four, five and six children who are academically challenged in a fast-paced learning environment from 120 schools in eight districts ranked among the first low performers in their respective districts.

Those who benefited from the program have performed well over the past two quarters in their respective classes unlike before when it was hard for them to cope with the usual fast-paced learning environment.

Reponse Nsengumuremyi is the second born in a family of five children. He is one of 1,800 students at Kavumu Primary School located in Mutete sector in Gicumbi District. Nsengumuremyi witnessed that his performance improved since he joined the remedial learning program. “Before joining the remedial learning program, I was among the last performers in class with a score of 43%. Now, from the first quarter until now I have been one of the best performers in my class with a score mark of 79%,” he explained.

Janviere Uwituze from Kibari Primary School in Gicumbi District scored 32% in P3. Now, she managed to get 81% in the second quarter in P4. “Before joining the remedial learning program, I always faced challenges of asking the teacher about lessons I would not understand, today, I am working closely with my teacher.” Uwituze appreciated the training that remedial learning offered to their parents because they changed their perception of school. She added that her parents also understand the role of remedial learning because they gave her time to participate.

Uwituze said “My parents have granted me additional time at home to revise the lessons because they understand the importance this program.”

Jeannette Dushimimana from Remera primary school in Musanze scored 71% in the second quarter of P5, from 49% she had gotten in the previous quarter of P4. She attributed her best performance to determination and advice from her teacher in the remedial learning program.

“Before joining the remedial learning program it was not easy for me because I struggled to even get 49%, after joining the program our teacher taught us to work hard, be confident and set our goals right so I attained 71% in a very short period. I was motivated by my teacher who always tells us to work as a team and believe in ourselves,” she explained.

Benita Rugira Izere got 94% in the second quarter in P4, from 48% she had in the last quarter in P3. She attributed her success to the support from her parents and her determination.

“When I joined remedial learning, my parents supported me, especially my mother. She is always willing to support me to revise all lessons, as she has been introduced to the importance of the remedial learning program. I started to work well in class and my performance has since improved. I even now plan to become a Civil Engineer in future,” she added.