Agricultural education project (696-0109) : evaluation, Rwanda

Special evaluation covers the period 8/79-12/84 and is based on document review, interviews with A.I.D., CERAI, other Rwandan, and contractor personnel, and field visits. Almost 4 years elapsed between signing of the grant agreement and arrival of the TA team in 3/83, during which time project circumstances had changed considerably; A.I.D. and World Bank studies had raised doubts about Rwanda's educational reform program, and French and Belgian Cooperants were already in place at the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MINEPRISEC) unit responsible for curriculum development (a task originally slated for A.I.D.). Thus, in 2/84 the A.I.D. team was transferred to a different MINEPRISEC unit and the project focus shifted away from curriculum development, toward inservice training of CERAI staff. These changes, while appropriate, have not been documented in a Project Paper update. Thus far, inservice training seminars in school management and curriculum adaptation have been provided to the directors and teachers of 30 pilot CERAI's. The team has also made excellent progress in helping MINEPRISEC collect computerized data on CERAI staff and students and has trained two Rwandans in computer operations. Construction of the Nyagahanga School and of 30 CERAI's has been completed as planned; 20 cisterns have also been built (provision of cisterns at 150 CERAI's was added to project construction plans). No progress has been made on plans to introduce adult education into CERAI's. In 6/84 MINEPRISEC decided that the seminars should be provided to personnel at all 310 CERAI's. Therefore, the project should focus its efforts in this direction, eliminating planned adult education activities, as well as plans to work with Nyagahanga school (which is far ahead of the CERAI's in curriculum and staff development). In addition, MINEPRISEC data collection activities should be expanded to include information on job opportunities, a project amendment should be prepared to reflect all the changes that have taken place, and reporting systems and financial management should be improved.