Paths to school reopening after COVID-19 in Rwanda: School leaders’ self-reported roles, strategies adopted and perceptions on the role of Professional Learning Communities

Abstract

In the year 2020, schools in Rwanda closed for six months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study examined how school leaders’ fulfilled roles to minimize learning losses and cope with the crisis at the school reopening. This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-method research design. Multi-stage cluster sampling, judgmental sampling, and simple random sampling techniques were employed to arrive at a sample size of 54 secondary schools. Respondents were headteachers and their deputies in charge of studies. Primary data were collected via questionnaire surveys and interviews. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Findings indicated that to mitigate learning losses, school leaders participated in remedial learning and additional homework was given to mitigate potential dropouts or learning losses. Indeed, Professional Learning Communities attended by school leaders, as well as community engagement, were helpful in ensuring that the situation returned to normalcy in schools after prolonged school closure.