Early Literacy Promotion in Rwanda: Opportunities and obstacles

Rwanda has achieved remarkable progress in expanding access to schooling, but there are still significant challenges to address—including the question of how to ensure that all children learn to read. A recent study found that only 32% of Primary 6 students had attained minimum levels of reading fluency. Reading comprehension is also a problem, with 40% of Primary 4 students unable to correctly answer questions about simple texts. Yet basic literacy represents a necessary foundation for learning—this issue must be addressed if Rwanda is to reap the benefits of its significant investments in education.

How can Rwandan institutions and development partners support continued progress in the area of early literacy? This report analyses the policy and institutional context surrounding the promotion of early literacy in Rwanda, from birth to age nine. The following pages discuss Rwanda’s strengths in this area, and the gaps and weaknesses that may need to be addressed for further achievements to be made. This research is presented as an outreach and advocacy effort, sponsored by Save the Children’s signature programme Advancing the Right to Read.