Rwandan Girls’ Education and Advancement Programme 2 (REAP 2)

The REAP II project supported 7,975 girls was implemented by Health Poverty Action in Rwanda.

Rwanda is one of the top performing countries in education in the region and is also internationally recognised as a world leader in promoting women's empowerment. However, issues remain, particularly for the poorest. In project communities, 79% of caregivers reported it was difficult to afford schooling for their girl, and low-income households are more likely to have children working. Children in poverty are more likely to drop out sooner. Although there are relatively equal numbers of boys and girls in classrooms, girls are more likely to drop out of school. One of the reasons is child marriage, with 8% of girls marrying before the age of 18. In many classrooms, the teacher student ratios remain high.

The project worked to improve the life chances of marginalised girls in 28 poor and rural schools. By improving student enrolment and retention, and the quality, governance and budgeting of education, the project helped girls to complete their level of education and transition to the next stage of education, technical and vocational training (TVET) and/or employment opportunities. Girls who were already in school were supported through key transition points. Girls who were out of school were supported back into education, TVET or employment, depending on the girls’ own preferences and constraints.

Main activities

• Establishing community, after-school study groups.
• Training 252 teachers in methods centred on the child and sensitive to gender.
• Establishing Mother Daughter clubs
• Establishing school businesses
• Working with 56 community health workers and youth corners to offer family planning services, alongside behaviour change communication
• Training in-school leadership, including 280 School General Assembly Committee members.

The project in numbers

Lessons learned

Strong school leadership influences teaching quality and contributes to better learning outcomes. Involving headteachers in trainings and building their capacity was instrumental in ensuring oversight of project activities and ensuring teachers were encouraged to apply the skills and knowledge obtained in trainings. As a result of trainings, the relationship between teachers and school leadership became more constructive.

Health corners resulted in less teen pregnancies. Health corners provided teen mothers and adolescent boys and girls with adolescent friendly information, counselling, services on menstruation, safe sex, early marriage and pregnancy, contraceptives and family planning. Where these corners existed, rates of teen pregnancy decreased. Surprisingly, in addition to adolescents, adults also came to the health corners to look for services, mostly around contraceptives, family planning and counselling for families struggling with internal conflicts

Ensure an integrated, community-based approach to child protection. For child protection to be meaningful, it requires ongoing consultation with communities, including children to understand their contexts, issues and needs. Ensuring a community-based approach linked with schools will allow for greater understanding of child protection issues.

School improvement led to better learning outcomes. This was demonstrated by 80% of schools meeting or exceeding minimum standards in students’ outcomes and attainment. Knowledge of the standards which schools are expected to achieve, the implementation of evidence-based school improvement plans, giving parents a role in school improvement planning, and support from the Sector Education Officers were all factors leading to schools’ improvement.

Health Poverty Action: https://www.healthpovertyaction.org/