Is Competence-Based Curriculum well Monitored? Learning from Rwandan Sector Education Officers

Abstract

In Rwanda, the education sector involves many stakeholders and partners. One pillar in its monitoring and evaluation is constituted by sector education officers (SEOs). These SEOs monitor the implementation of a competence-based curriculum (CBC) to respond to beneficiaries. However, there is a lack of documentation that fulfils this need. Therefore, the present study qualitatively surveyed 29 SEOs via an online survey to learn from their CBC implementation and monitoring experience. The results revealed that SEOs are doing well as they collaborate with district education and school leaders and teachers. However, they face challenges in monitoring CBC implementation, such as the budget for organizing training, teachers who resist CBC approaches, and CBC and English training's insufficiency. Although continuous professional development is working on sector and district levels, CBC implementation and monitoring at the sector level would be useful if the government allocates in some budget. School leaders allocate timetable for school-based in-service teacher training and peer learning among teachers at their respective schools.

Keywords: Competence-based curriculum, Sector education officer, monitoring and evaluation