Important Education Initiatives

The ETSK administration has implemented a significant new education initiative, designed to catapult the school into the ranks of the three top professional high schools in Rwanda. We are quite proud that student enrollment at ETSK has exploded from 170 in 2017 to 320 students since the inception of the initiative, and we are hopeful that, once the Covid crisis is behind us, we can continue to build on this momentum. Initiatives include:

IMPROVEMENT OF ENGLISH SKILLS

A key priority for economic development in Rwanda is the continuing transition from French to English speaking.  It is also a key priority for ETSK that is now being supported by a number of important initiatives:

ENGLISH-ONLY TV ROOM:

Rather than discouraging TV viewing, we have decided to embrace it as one of the most effective ways of teaching English.  The TV room allows teachers to show YouTube videos in their areas of study during class hours, as well as running English documentaries after class, and movies during the weekend.

IMG_6574-1

SMART CLASSROOMS:

Every class blackboard now has a white-painted center section that allows teachers to bring projectors to class and directly share YouTube videos or content from teacher computers.  This a major time saver compared to writing everything on the blackboard.

ETSK English Teacher at projector

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY MOVIE NIGHTS:

The school dining hall is now equipped with a ceiling projector that plays English language movies (with English subtitles) twice every week – another opportunity to hear native English spoken.

IMG_8323

ENGLISH-ONLY SPEAKING:

Starting in 2019, only English speaking was allowed in all classrooms and the Student Learning Center.  Starting in 2020, this was be extended to the dining hall and all common areas of ETSK, with the exception of dormitories, where the native Kenyarwanda will be permitted.

only-english

TRANSITION TO SELF-EDUCATION:

The traditional teaching system is for teachers to lecture and students to take notes and study only those notes. A new commitment to foster “Self-Learning” will include: how to ask questions; how to research using textbooks and general reading; how to analyze; how to take initiative and be creative; and how to be entrepreneurial.  To do this requires a firm commitment plus new educational resources not previously available.

EXPANSION OF SPORTS PROGRAMS

As part of the new initiative, even more emphasis is being put on daily organized sports to encourage all students to participate.