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Kigali Institute of Education (KIE) was issued with copyright registration Certificate No. Rw-C10000866 by the Office of the Registrar General in accordance to the Rwandan IPR Law No. 31/2009.
N.B.: KIE is now a College of Education, constituent of the University of Rwanda in accordance to the Rwandan Law No. 71/2013 of 10/09/2013 establishing the University of Rwanda (UR), and the College of Education as shown on its website: http://www.ce.ur.ac.rw/
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Use of written English by students and staff educated in French: A case of institutions of higher learning in Kigali
Abstract
English became the third official language in Rwanda in 1994 besides French and Kinyarwanda to accommodate the returning Rwandan refugees. In 2008, French was dropped, and English became the major medium of instruction (MOI). This study sought to highlight the use of English by Rwandans who were educated in the medium of French so as to gain an understanding of how they are coping with the new situation and recommend necessary actions. The study was carried out in former Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), former Kigali Health Institute (KHI), and Kigali Independent University (ULK). This study mainly focused on written competence. Both qualitative and quantitative methods of research were employed to collect required data. Findings revealed a significant increase of English use in formal settings, low usage in informal settings, encouraging perceived confidence, and significant difficulties in writing. However, a high interest revealed in English use will lead to a bright future of English in Rwanda.
Key words: Confidence, language use, Medium of Instruction (MOI), second language
