Unit 4: Competence based curriculum

Curriculum is the vehicle through which a country empowers its citizens with the necessary
knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that enable them to be empowered for personal and national
development. Therefore, it should meet the needs of the individual citizens and the nation.

4.1 Meaning of Competence Based Curriculum (CBC)

Competence: the ability to perform a particular task successfully, resulting from having gained an
appropriate combination of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. It is ability to use an appropriate
combination of knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, and behaviour to accomplish a particular task
successfully. That is, the ability to apply learning with confidence in a range of situations.
Competency-based curriculum: a curriculum that emphasizes what learners are expected to do
rather than mainly what they are expected to know. CBC is designed to develop learners’
competences rather than just their knowledge. A competence-based curriculum is characterized by
approaches that are largely learner-centred, criterion-referenced, constructivist, and focused upon
learning outcomes (rather than content definition) and with an emphasis on formative assessment.
The CBC aims to move from memorization and recall to the higher level of thinking that contribute
to deep and lasting learning. In CBC, students should attain a competence level in all subjects they
learn and shift from memorization and recalling information to the understanding and application
of learning in practical situations. These require a learning environment which allows students to
generate their own ideas and suggest solutions to different problems (REB, 2015), and hence to
cope with job related demands and become problem solvers in the society.

4.2 Brief history of CBC

The CBC started in the United States of America in 1970s. It was later expanded in the United
Kingdom and Germany in 1980s, and in Australia in 1990s. Further, the CBC was adopted by other
countries including the New Zealand, and a number of European countries. In Africa, countries
like Rwanda, Zambia, Tanzania, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Namibia, Botswana, The
Seychelles, and Ethiopia have also adopted the CBC. In most of developing countries, the CBC
was adopted from developed countries and adapted to the specific needs of the country. A common
concern in most of these countries is a lack of vocational skills and generic competences for
graduates of secondary schools, particularly technical and vocational education and little emphasis
placed on basic skills required in general education (Nsengimana, 2021).

4.3 Competence Based Curriculum in Rwanda

In 2015, Rwanda introduced a competence-based curriculum (CBC) from a knowledge-based

curriculum (KBC). By changing the curriculum, Rwanda shifted from knowledge and skills
acquisition learning to critical thinking, creation and innovation, research and problem solving,
communication.

4.3.1 Why a Competence-Based Curriculum in Rwanda?

The trend in education systems all over the world has been the move from a knowledge-based
curriculum towards competence-based programs of study. Rwanda was not an exception.

Rwanda strives to build a knowledge-based economy, with particular emphasis on science and
technology as engine of socio-economic development. One of the national priorities in the
education system in Rwanda is to ensure that the quality of education continues to improve through
closer integration of curriculum development, quality assurance and assessment, improved supply
of learning materials, particularly textbooks, and improved teaching and learning strategies.

The Government reviews programs and teaching methods in order to equip a critical mass of the
population with knowledge, skills, and attitudes to be highly competitive in the global market. It
put in place a curriculum that will drive Rwanda to the economic development it desires.

Therefore, the ambition to develop a knowledge-based society in line with globalization and
particularly the growth of the world market and competition at the global level calls for a shift
from an objective based to a competence-based curriculum.
Therefore, the underlying principle behind the shift from KBC to CBC was to ensure that the
curriculum is responsive to the needs of the learner, society, and labor market and to streamline
the coherence within the existing syllabi by benchmarking them with those from other countries
with best practices.
4.3.2 Vision, aims, values and principles of the CBC in Rwanda

A. The curriculum vision

Taking into account national policies, the East African Community Protocol, the national context,
the views of stakeholders, the learner profiles and the range of objectives expressed in the rationale,
the following curriculum vision has been agreed up.

The vision of Rwanda is to establish an inspiring 21st century curriculum, optimizing the potential
of all learners and enabling every young Rwandan to make a valuable contribution to the sustained
growth of the nation.

B. The curriculum aims

The vision determines the aims for the curriculum and for learners. These aims define what the
nation envisions its young people to be by the time they leave education and the nature of
curriculum that will bring this about.
C. The curriculum values

The Rwandan curriculum is underpinned by the values that represent the basic beliefs of the nation.
These basic values permeate the curriculum, and all the processes of schooling and which students
will also develop. The ‘Curriculum Values’ are those that underpin the curriculum itself and which
determine the nature of the subject syllabi.

D. Rwandan culture and heritage

The subject syllabi must reflect Rwandan culture and heritage. This is important for two reasons:
• It is important that all young people learn to understand and value their own heritage and culture,
so that their heritage will not be forgotten, and the culture will be nurtured.
• Learning is most effective when it relates to the immediate context of the learner and subject
learning is enhanced by the Rwandan context.

Five interlinking elements of heritage and culture to be incorporated into the syllabi, have been
identified as follows:
In the figure above, the central circle, Rwandan history, literature, myths, and stories, can be seen
as providing the link to the other elements. It is important to include heritage and traditions, but
also to reflect present-day culture.

E. Principles of Rwandan Competence-Based Curriculum

The curriculum principles guide the way the curriculum is constructed but have an impact on
teaching and learning, on the way progress is assessed, on the way teachers are trained and, on the
way, schools are led and managed. The identified guiding principles are the following:

➢ Learner-centered: The curriculum must address learners’ individual needs, interests,

abilities, and backgrounds, creating an environment where learning activities are organized
in a way that encourages learners to construct the knowledge either individually or in
groups in an active manner.
➢ Competence-based approach: This is an approach where teaching and learning is based
on discrete skills rather than dwelling on only knowledge or cognitive domain of learning.
Learners work on competences through units with specific learning outcomes broken down
into knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The student is evaluated against a set of standards to
achieve before moving on. The learning activities should be learner-centered rather than
the traditional didactic approach.
➢ Inclusive: The curriculum must ensure that every individual is valued and there are high
expectations of every learner. Learning must be organized so that all learners thrive,
including girls, learners with disabilities, learners with special educational needs and
regardless of their background.
➢ Interconnected with crosscutting issues: The curriculum must reflect the significance of
connections between different subject areas and cross-cutting issues and integrating them
across years and cycles where applicable.
➢ Flexible: The curriculum is to cater for learners’ individual needs and talents and to ensure
provision of a holistic education that include knowledge, skills, attitude and values and
facilitates horizontal and vertical mobility within and across different education systems.
This involves developing a curriculum that allows interactive teaching and learning
involving all categories of learners to provide opportunities to nurture them.
➢ Transparent and accountable: Schools, learners and communities must communicate
openly and honestly about the curriculum and learning in the school, to ensure successful
teaching and learning. Parents and teachers and senior management staff in schools must
be engaged together in supporting teaching and learning and holding each accountable for
their contributions. School management must be open to stakeholders and policy makers
to support efficient administration and effective teaching.
➢ Integrated with ICT as a tool: The curriculum must enable educators and students to use
ICT as a tool, to improve the quality of education in all subjects at all levels in teaching
and learning practices. ICT must support the emergence of teaching and pedagogical
learner-centered approaches as well as encourage research, communication, and
collaborative learning.
4.3.3 Competences and cross-cutting issues in Rwandan CBC

A competence-based curriculum takes learning to higher levels by providing challenging and

engaging learning experiences which require deep thinking rather than just memorization. Its focus
is on what young people can do rather than just on what they know.

A. Competences
There are two categories of competences in a competence-based curriculum: Basic competences
and generic competences. These two components are built into the subject syllabi.

Basic competences

Basic competences are key competences which were identified basing on expectations and
aspirations reflected in the national policy documents. Their descriptors give orientation about the
learners’ profile in each level of education, subjects to be taught and learning areas, broad subject
competences and key competences on year basis. Basic competences are:
• Literacy.
• Numeracy.
• ICT.
• Citizenship and National Identity.
• Entrepreneurship and Business Development.
• Science and Technology.
• Communication in the official languages.

These have all been identified as competences with particular relevance to Rwanda on account of
its history and context. Literacy and numeracy are basic to accessing learning in other subjects.
Competence in ICT can be developed through the use of ICT across the subjects. The focus on
citizenship and national identity is important because one of the nation’s great strengths is its unity
in terms of both its population and its sense of purpose.
Entrepreneurship and business development is regarded as basic as it is a key drive to ensure that
Rwandans actively create employment opportunities rather than having a mindset of relying on
others. The impact of science and technology increasingly affects all aspects of life and therefore
should be considered a basic aspect of subjects across the curriculum.

Generic competences

Generic competences are the competences which are transferrable and applicable to a range of
subjects and situations including employment. Generic competences involve and promote the
development of the higher order thinking skills. In doing so they boost subject learning as well as
being highly valuable in themselves. They are seen as generic competences because they apply
across all curricula and can be developed in all the subjects studied. The generic student
competences that are developed within all subjects are:
• Critical thinking
• Creativity and innovation
• Research and problem solving
• Communication
• Co-operation, interpersonal relations, and life skills
• Lifelong learning

These generic competences help students deepen their understanding of subjects and apply their
subject learning in a range of situations. They therefore contribute to the development of subject
competence. As students develop these generic competences, they also acquire the set of skills that
employers look for in their employees, so the competences help prepare students for the world of
work. The generic competences are also vital for enabling students to become lifelong learners
who can adapt to our fast-changing world and the uncertain future.
National curriculum competence descriptors
Competences Competence Descriptors (what learners are able to demonstrate during the
learning process)
Literacy Reading a variety of texts accurately and fast. Expressing ideas, messages, and events
through writing legible texts in good handwriting with correctly spelt words.
Communicating ideas effectively through speaking using correct phonetics of words.
Listening carefully for understanding and seeking clarification when necessary
Numeracy Computing accurately using the four mathematical operations. Manipulating numbers,
mathematical symbols, quantities, shapes, and figures to accomplish a task involving
calculations, measurements, and estimations. Use numerical patterns and relations to
solve problems related to everyday activities like commercial context and financial
management. Interpreting basic statistical data using tables, diagrams, charts, and graphs
ICT and digital Locating, extracting, recording, and interpreting information from various sources.
Assessing, retrieving, and exchanging information via internet or cell phones. Using cell
phones and internet for leisure and for money transactions. Using computer keyboard
and mouse to write and store information. Using information and communication
technologies to enhance learning

Citizenship and Relating the impact of historical events on past and present national and cultural identity.
National Identity Understanding the historical and cultural roots of Rwandan society and how the local
superstructure functions in relation to the global environment. Demonstrating respect
for cultural identities and expressing the role of the national language in social and
cultural context. Advocating for the historical, cultural, and geographical heritage of the
nation within the global dimensions. Showing national consciousness, a strong sense of
belonging and patriotic spirit. Advocating for a harmonious and cohesive society and
working with people from diverse cultural backgrounds
Entrepreneurship and Applying entrepreneurial attitudes and approaches to challenges and opportunities in
Business development school and in life. Understanding obligations of parties involved in employment.
Planning and managing micro projects and small and medium enterprises. Creation of
employment and keeping proper books of accounts. Taking risks in business ventures
and in other initiatives. Evaluating resources needed for a business
Science and Applying science and technology skills to solve practical problems encountered in
technology everyday life including efficient and effective performance of a given task. Develop a
sense of curiosity, inquisitiveness, and research to explain theories, hypotheses, and
natural phenomena. Reasoning deductively and inductively in a logical manner. Using
and experimenting with a range of objects and tools of science and technology and
drawing appropriate conclusions.
Lifelong learning Taking initiative to update knowledge and skills with minimum external support. Coping
with the evolution of knowledge and technology advances for personal fulfilment.
Seeking out acquaintances more knowledgeable in areas that need personal
improvement and development. Exploiting all opportunities available to improve on
knowledge and skills
Critical thinking Think reflectively, broadly, and logically about challenges encountered in all situations.
Weigh up evidence and make appropriate decisions based on experience and relevant
learning. Think imaginatively and evaluate ideas in a meaningful way before arriving at
a conclusion. Explore and evaluate alternative explanations to those presented by others
Creativity and Responding creatively to the variety of challenges encountered in life. Use imagination
Innovation beyond knowledge provided to generate new ideas to enrich learning. Take initiative to
explore challenges and ideas in order to construct new concepts. Generate original ideas
and apply them in learning situations. Demonstrate resilience when faced with learning
challenges
Research and problem Be resourceful in finding answers to questions and solutions to problems. Produce new
solving knowledge based on research of existing information and concepts and sound judgment
in developing viable solutions. Explain phenomena based on findings from information
gathered or provided
Communication Communicating and conveying confidently and effectively information and ideas
through speaking and writing and other forms of communication using correct language
structure and relevant vocabulary effectively in a range of social and cultural contexts.
Comprehending language through listening and reading. Using oral and written
language to discuss, argue and debate a variety of themes in a logical and appealing
manner. Communicate clearly and confidently using a range of linguistic, symbolic,
representational, and physical expression. Developing and communicating formal
messages and speech appropriate to the target recipient or audience
Cooperation, Co-operating with others as a team in whatever task assigned. Adapting to different
Interpersonal situations including the world of work. Demonstrating a sense of personal and social
management, Life responsibility and making ethical decisions and judgments. Practicing respect for the
skills rights, views, and feelings of others. Practicing positive ethical and moral attitudes with
respect to socially acceptable behavior. Perform practical activities related to
environmental conservation and protection. Advocating for personal, family and
community health, hygiene, and nutrition. Developing motor skills to perform a variety
of physical activities for fitness, health, leisure, and social interaction
Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS)

Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) are central to a competence-based curriculum because they
develop the understanding that enables learning to be applied effectively. Knowledge and
Understanding learning objectives relate to memorization and explanation -the lower levels of
learning (remembering, understanding, applying). Higher-order thinking skills are reflected by the
top three levels in Bloom’s Taxonomy: analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. High levels of
knowledge and understanding are crucial for a successful knowledge-based economy. It is through
the focus on competences and higher order thinking skills in a competence-based curriculum that
learners’ skills and abilities are developed and, as a consequence, their knowledge and
understanding are deepened.

Developing competences

Competences cannot be taught directly like subject knowledge. They are acquired over time
through the cumulative effect of a competence approach to learning. They require students to
practice and employ the generic competences throughout the subjects that they study. They require
the syllabi to be constructed with competences at their heart. They require teachers to adopt
approaches that encourage and enable students to think critically, to carry out research, to solve
problems, to be creative and innovative, to communicate, to co-operate and to become life-long
leaners. The subject content provides a necessary context for students to develop the competences,
and the basic and generic competences help deepen students’ understanding of the subject and
build students’ ability to apply their subject learning.

Achieving a Competence-Based Curriculum

The key aim of a competence-based curriculum is that students should attain a competence level
in all that they learn. This means moving beyond the recall of information to a level where
understanding is sufficient for students to apply their learning in practical situations. This, in turn,
requires learning that is practical and relevant and allows students the scope to generate their own
ideas and solutions to problems. The subject syllabi must include the basic competences as well as
the generic competences. Like the generic competences, the basic competences are developed
through the cumulative effect of a learning approach that focuses on building competences over
time.

All the two categories of competences need to be built into the subject syllabi where possible.
There must be opportunities in subjects for students to develop and apply basic skills and cross
cutting issues where possible. Subject syllabi must focus on what learners need to be able to do as
well as on subject knowledge. Basic competences are developed through application of subject
learning. The generic competences help the development of the higher order thinking skills so both
deepen subject learning and be valuable in themselves.

B. Cross cutting issues

The competencies were introduced together with cross-cutting issues. Cross-cutting issues
are topics that are identified as important and that affect and cut across most or all aspects of
development. These topics should therefore be integrated throughout all or some subjects of
learning. They refer to important curriculum content that does not belong to any one subject or
learning area exclusively, but which is best taught and learned in a number of subjects. There are
eight (8) cross-cutting issues (REB, 2015).:
1. Peace and values education.
2. Genocide studies
3. Gender education
4. Inclusive education
5. Comprehensive sexuality education
6. Financial education
7. Environment and sustainability
8. Standardization culture
1. Peace and Values Education

Peace and Values Education (PVE) is all about how education can contribute to a better awareness
of the root causes of conflicts, violence, and peacelessness at the personal, interpersonal,
community, national, regional, and international/global levels. It is also about how education can
simultaneously cultivate values and attitudes which will encourage individual and social action for
building more peaceful families, communities, societies and ultimately a more peaceful world.
PVE is further defined as education that promotes social cohesion, positive values including
pluralism and personal responsibility, empathy, critical thinking, and action in order to build a
more peaceful society (a society that does not use violence to resolve conflicts). PVE is also
understood as being the process of acquiring values and knowledge, and developing attitudes,
skills, and behavior to live in harmony with oneself, with others and with the natural environment.

Instead of being a stand-alone subject in this curriculum, PVE is integrated as a crosscutting issue
in the following three ways:
• Firstly, PVE content elements and teaching-and-learning methodological approaches (including
tools and resources) are mainstreamed in different subjects.
• Secondly, PVE is integrated in all other subjects through infusion of its specific teaching-and-
learning methodological approaches (including tools and resources).
• Thirdly, PVE is integrated in all subjects by making Peace and Values an everyday life practice
and by requiring all teachers to (1) behave as peaceful facilitators of learning or to be “Guides on
the Side” instead of being “Sages on the Stage”; and (2) behave as peace builder models for the
students, i.e. PVE role modeling or PVE teaching by examples.

2. Genocide studies

Rwandan children should know about the genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi as well as other
genocides, including the Holocaust of World War II. They should know what caused the genocide
in Rwanda, its planning and execution, how it was stopped and what the consequences have been.
Rwandan children should take part in fighting genocide ideology and genocide denial. By learning
about the Holocaust and other genocides, they will analyze the similarities and differences in the
methods used to carry out genocide. Rwandan students will remember the genocide, which is a
means to protect the memory of those who were lost. Rwandan students need to remember those
who are absent, and humanity needs to remember what it is capable of.

3. Gender education

Gender refers to the socio-cultural definition of man and woman; the way societies distinguish
men and women and assign them social roles. It entails the behaviors and attitudes which are
culturally accepted as appropriate ways of being a woman (femininity) and ways of being a man
(masculinity). The sex of a person is biologically determined, whereas ways of being a man or a
woman are learned: they are constructed, reinforced, maintained, and reconstructed over time
through social and cultural practices. Such constructions of gender vary across cultures, social
class, and time.

The introduction of a gender perspective to the curriculum aims to improve the outcome of quality
teaching by enabling girls and boys to exploit their full potential and talents without any
discrimination or prejudice. Curriculum development to address gender inequality cannot happen
in isolation from other aspects of schooling, such as ways of teaching and learning, and interactions
within and out of the classroom.

4. Inclusive education

Inclusive education aims to improve access and offer chance to all irrespective of needs and ability.
It is regarded as a balanced, equitable and globally oriented program that is adaptable according
to circumstances. Inclusion is based on the right of all learners to a quality and equitable education
that meets their basic learning needs and understands the diversity of backgrounds and abilities as
a learning opportunity.

Thus, inclusive education is perceived as the core of EFA (Education for All) and must be an
integral part of the education reform, from vision to practices. All students’ learning needs are to
be considered and accommodated. To be successful, it entails a range of issues including teacher’s
positive attitude, adapting learning resources, differentiation of teaching/learning methods and
working together. Overall, the benefits of an inclusive curriculum extend to all learners.
Inclusive Education is central to the achievement of high-quality education for all learners and the
development of more inclusive societies. It is not only about issues of input, such as access, and
those related to processes such as teacher training, but it involves a shift in underlying values and
beliefs, along with very specific approaches, positions, and solutions. A broad range of strategies
at all levels are needed to realize the right of children with disabilities to inclusive education.

5. Comprehensive sexuality education

Comprehensive Sexuality Education is broader than sex education; it includes topics such as sexual
and reproductive health, human growth and development, communication, relationships, gender,
prevention of STIs, HIV and AIDS, unwanted pregnancies, and gender-based violence among
others. It supports a rights-based approach in which values such as respect, acceptance, tolerance,
equality, empathy, and reciprocity are inextricably linked to universally agreed human rights.

The primary goal of a school based comprehensive sexuality education curriculum is to equip
children, adolescents and young people with the knowledge, skills, and values in an age
appropriate, culturally and gender sensitive manner so as to enable them to make responsible
choices about their sexual and social relationships, explain and clarify feelings, values, and
attitudes, and promote and sustain risk-reducing behavior.

6. Financial education

Financial Education is about teaching people the principles of managing their money throughout
their lives. It is showing people the skills and giving them the knowledge to effectively deal with
their money. Effective financial education shows people how to maximize savings while
minimizing risks and expenses. It gives people the principles of how to make money work for you
and frees you from being a lifelong slave to money.

The integration of Financial Education into the curriculum is aimed at a comprehensive Financial
Education program as a precondition for achieving the financial inclusion targets and improved
financial capability of Rwandans, so that they can make appropriate financial decisions that best
fit the circumstances of their life.
Financial Education will build a strong foundation among the children for responsible money
management by developing good planning and saving habits and prepare them for the life cycle
events such as entering work force and managing their own finances after school.

7. Environment and sustainability

The integration of environment, climate change and sustainability in the curriculum places
considerable emphasis on knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values to be developed by learners
aimed at sustainable ways of living. It focuses and advocates for the need to balance economic
growth, the well-being of society and ecological systems.

The integration of environment, climate change and sustainability require contributions from all
subjects by incorporating related content in subjects like sciences and humanities, in subject like
mathematics and literature.

8. Standardization culture

Standards are everywhere in our daily life and the benefits that stem from the use of standards do
not solely come from their implementation only; but they are rather the product of a “Standard
Culture” when it is firmly rooted in the practices, activities, and lifestyle of the citizens.

While education is the foundation and strength of our nation, standards are one of the key pillars
of sustainable economic development. Therefore, the use of standards must be echoed in our
education system and most of our daily life principles. It is in this context that the standardization
culture in Rwanda through formal education, will play a vital role in terms of improving the health
of the people, economic growth, industrialization, trade, and the general welfare of the people.

All cross-cutting issues are important for students to learn about and must be integrated across
learning areas appropriately since they are not confined to one subject.
Subjects and crosscutting issues

The table below shows in which subjects crosscutting issues have been integrated.
4.3.4 Competence based assessment

Assessment is an integral part of the national curriculum and an essential element of the teaching
learning process.
Competence based assessment is an assessment process in which the learner is confronted with a
complex situation related to their everyday life and asked to put into practice what has been learned
(knowledge, skills, and attitude) in order to resolve or overcome this situation. In competence-
based assessment the evidence collected is then used as the basis on which judgments are made
concerning the learner’s progress towards the satisfaction of fixed performance criteria.

1. Principles of competence based assessment

The Curriculum and Assessment Policy (2014) outlines the principles for both informal and formal
assessment, in classrooms and national examinations, and for different purposes.

The following principles are the essential characteristics of assessment which complement and
support the curriculum, and which enable learners to understand their progress and make good
choices for their future. Assessment forms the basis for an equitable system on which to make
decisions at individual, school, and national levels.

➢ Coherence: It is essential that the assessment measures are coherent across ages and
schools so that learners can be confident that the standards being applied to their work are
compatible with standards across the country. To achieve this level of confidence in the
design on the assessment the marking or grading must be trustworthy, delivering reliable
and valid tests and examinations.
➢ Recognition of achievement: Assessments must examine or measure what learners know
and can do, and how far they succeed, avoiding focusing on what they are unable to do.
Assessments must allow for learners to show their knowledge and skill in appropriate ways
which may vary with learner, topic, and competency.
➢ Accessible, equitable and fair: Assessments must offer equal opportunities to learners to
succeed and be adaptable to learners’ circumstances. Assessments must be accessible to all
learners in terms of the forms of questioning and testing. Accessibility involves particular
attention to the language demands for learners, especially those for whom English is an
additional language.
➢ Support progression: Assessments should yield information about aspects of learners’
performance which can then be used to diagnose strengths and weaknesses, and next steps
for learners. Formative assessments which are relevant to the current learning should
provide evidence which teachers can use to feedback to learners. Competencies, which
include knowledge, skills and attitudes, should be assessed in the context of practical
application in order for progress to be identified and supported.
➢ Fit for purpose: The methods and forms of assessment should vary, according to such
factors as the domains being assessed, the age of the learners, the language in which the
assessment is made. The use of the results of assessments affects the forms used, in both
formal and informal contexts.
➢ Valid: Any assessment must assess what it sets out to measure and be clear about what is
being assessed, including such aspects as memory, processes, application. In order to be
valid, the forms of assessment vary with what is being assessed.

➢ Reliable Formal assessments and examinations must be consistent in the results they
produce over time and for all learners. In examinations, as far as possible, sources of
inconsistency, such as item production, marking and linguistic barriers must be eliminated.
➢ Transparent and accountable: Learners, teachers, and parents must understand the
purposes, forms, and uses of assessments that schools make. Schools should make the
results of assessments available to learners and parents. Stakeholders and policy makers
should take into account the results of assessments nationally when making decisions.
2. Purposes of assessment

Assessment is an integral part of the teaching learning process.

- One purpose of assessment is to determine the extent to which learning objectives and
competences have been achieved and to identify which schools and learners need
pedagogical advice and strategic intervention.
- Another purpose of assessment is to monitor progress and provide feedback, selection,
guidance on future courses, certification, and promotion.

Understanding the purposes of assessment ensures that an appropriate match exists between the
purposes and the methods of assessment. This, in turn, will help to ensure that decisions and
conclusions based on the assessment are fair and appropriate for the particular purpose or purposes.

Many stakeholders including learners themselves, parents, District authorities, Rwanda Education
Board, higher education and training institutions, the Ministry of Education and employers have
an interest in how learners perform. Evidence of individual learner’s progress is collected at
different times and places, and with the use of various methods, instruments, modes, and media.
In order to facilitate access to learners’ overall performances and to make inferences on learners’
competences, assessment results have to be reported.

3. Levels of CBC assessment in Rwanda

Assessment is conducted at the following levels: School based assessment, national assessment
(LARS), district examinations and national examinations. LARS stands for Learning Achievement
in Rwandan Schools. It consists of assessing the learners’ skills at a given grade or age (P2 and P5
in selected schools) at least after every two years. This helps to evaluate and improve the quality
of education and the policy of education system-in line with EFA goals, MDGs, Vision 2020,
EDPRS I and II, and the Mission Statement of MINEDUC. LARS is meant to depict the
weaknesses of the education system, if any, and make recommendations to policy makers to take
necessary actions),
4. Types of assessment

4.1 Formative assessment (Continuous assessment)

Formative assessment is a crucial element of teaching and learning. The goal of formative
assessment is to monitor student learning, to provide ongoing feedback that teachers can use to
improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning. More specifically, formative
assessments help:
• Learners identify their strengths and weaknesses and target areas that need work;
• Teachers in recognizing where students are struggling and address problems immediately.

Constructive feedback is a vital component of assessment for formative purposes. Formative

assessment involves using both formal and informal methods to check whether learning is taking
place. They are given throughout the school year at classroom and school level in order to have a
complete picture of the learners’ progress and achievements in subject concepts and in
competencies. They help teachers to develop appropriate instructional strategies to improve on the
teaching-learning process. Formative assessments use one or a combination of the following:
observation, pen and paper and oral questioning to measure:

a) Knowledge and understanding: Evidence of acquisition of knowledge and understanding is

through testing mastery of subject concepts and subject competencies and how they are applied in
a specific skill area.
b) Practical skills: Evidence of the ability to perform and accomplish a given task is measured
through aptitude and or practical tests and evaluation of the final outcome of learning.
c) Attitude and values: Assessing the behavioral approach towards a given task or a situation.
d) Generic competencies: Assessing the steps the learner goes through to perform a given task
and the reasoning behind it. Through formative assessment, the logic behind each step and skills
utilized to overcome each challenge can be measured.
4.2 Summative assessment (assessment of learning)

Summative assessments are used to evaluate student learning, skill acquisition, and academic
achievement at the conclusion of a defined instructional period—typically at the end of a project,
unit, course, semester, program, or school year.

The tests, assignments, or projects are used to determine whether students have learned what they
were expected to learn. In other words, what makes an assessment “summative” is not the design
of the test, assignment, or self-evaluation, but the way it is used—i.e., to determine whether and
to what degree students have learned the material they have been taught.

Summative assessments are given at the conclusion of a specific instructional period, and therefore
they are generally evaluative, rather than diagnostic—i.e., they are more appropriately used to
determine learning progress and achievement, evaluate the effectiveness of educational programs,
measure progress toward improvement goals, or make course-placement decisions, among other
possible applications.

Summative-assessment results are often recorded as scores or grades that are then factored into a
student’s permanent academic record, whether they end up as letter grades on a report card or test
scores used in the college-admissions process.

While summative assessments are typically a major component of the grading process in most
districts, schools, and courses, not all assessments considered to be summative are graded.
Information from summative assessments can be used formatively when students or faculty use it
to guide their efforts and activities in subsequent courses. When assessment is used to record a
judgment of competence or performance of the learner, it serves a summative purpose. Summative
assessment gives a picture of a learner’s competence or progress towards the achievement of a
goal or the completion of a term’s work or at the end of the year.
Summative assessment should be planned, and a variety of assessment instruments and strategies
should be used to enable learners to demonstrate competence. This assessment should have an
integrative aspect whereby a student must be able to show mastery of all competencies.

Norm referenced summative assessment is used to rank or grade learners by comparing their
performance, while criterion referenced summative assessment judges a student against an
established criteria or standard. School summative assessment average scores for each subject are
weighted and included in the final national examinations grade. School based assessment average
grades contribute a certain percentage of the final grade.

4.3.5 CBC implementation in Rwanda

The study done by Nsengimana (2021) revealed opportunities, challenges, and mitigations in
relation to the implementation of the CBC in Rwanda.

A. Opportunities of CBC in Rwanda

The CBC is appreciated for the following:

- Engaging a dynamic learning that is in line with the future employment needs of Rwanda
and the global economy (REB, 2015).
- Helping graduates to overcome challenges faced at the labor market, and for promoting
standards in competencies needed at the international level.
- Focusing on the development of students’ skills, attitudes, and values.
- Improving the quality of learning and shifts from memorization of the subject content to
the practical activities.
- Summarizing the professional skills and to define the objectives in teaching and learning.
- Developing personal ability of students and links social values with the subject-content,
and the world of work.
- Helping to achieve the goals of the Government of Rwanda aiming at producing skilled
students, able to create and compete for jobs at the labour market.
- It was conceived as an approach for addressing the aspirations of Rwanda and its
population to satisfy their needs through improved education system.

B. Challenges faced during the implementation of the CBC

- Few teachers (8.6%) were consulted during the development of the new curriculum, and
the majority of them (87.5%) got the information about the curriculum review from school
authorities. Their inputs could have helped curriculum developers to improve the new
curriculum. Their contribution could have for example helped to avoid problems related to
the subject content, which sometimes has been developed without considering learners’
prior skills.
- A small number of teachers (20.5%) got a training about the implementation of the new
curriculum and found the implementation of the CBC to be more time consuming. Hence,
the majority of teachers (78.2%) could not cover the content at the end of the year. This is
because the time allocated to one lesson was reduced from 50 to 40 minutes. Teachers
sometimes have to use teacher-centred teaching methods to cover the content.
- The implementation of the CBC started with the increase of the number of teaching load
per week (from 28 hours per week to between 35 and 40 hours per week). This was coupled
with the increase of the number of students, specifically in ordinary level (sometimes 60
students and above). As a result, it is hard for them to follow the methodology suggested
by the CBC as sometimes they are tired, could not get time for preparation, and for
effectively support every student during teaching and learning processes.
- Some content of the CBC requires materials that cannot be improvised, especially in
science subjects, and hence taught theoretically. In this regard, the majority of teachers
could not conduct planned experiments due to the lack of laboratories, reagents, and
materials, mainly in twelve-year basic education schools. Private schools had moderately
equipped laboratories, compared to schools of excellence having fully equipped
laboratories. In the courses of history and geography subjects, the problem related to the
lack of maps observed in private schools, and in some twelve-year basic education schools.
As an alternative, some teachers could use computers to smoothly implement the CBC.
However, computers were not enough to be used by every student, and every teacher in
every subject.
- The lack of adequate teaching and learning materials affected teaching and learning
processes:
✓ learners do not fully acquire skills in the ways suggested and wanted by the CBC.
Therefore, the aim of the CBC to encourage students to be creative and innovative in what
they are studying, and the ideal for learners to work together and build skills by themselves
may not be achieved.
✓ most of students do not get good marks during assessments, particularly when the questions
are related to innovation and creativity, particularly in science subjects.
✓ even though teachers tried other teaching methods that help students to understand the
content, some topics such as enzymes in biology and chemical reaction in chemistry could
not be effectively taught due to the lack of adequate teaching and learning materials at
school level.

C. Mitigations to overcome the identified challenges

- The improvisation of missing materials and use of simulations for some particular practical
experiments in mathematics and science subjects
- Give examples and applications of concepts in relation with everyday life situations
familiar to students.
- Reduction of teaching load to avail enough time to make good lesson plans and look for
effective teaching and learning materials.
- A continuous collaboration between the Government with education stakeholders to
increase the number of teaching and learning materials, particularly equipped laboratories
at school level.
- The teaching and learning materials provided by the Ministry of Education should not only
be limited to mathematics and science subjects but other subjects, including arts and social
sciences should also be considered.
- A continuous professional training for in-service teachers, based on the subjects they are
teaching.
- The on-going English language training as a medium language of teaching and learning,
particularly for teachers who were trained in French.

References

REB E- Learning (2024). Unit 5: competence-based curriculum. From

https://elearning.reb.rw/course/view.php?id=601&section=5.

REB/MINEDUC (2015). Competence- Based Curriculum. Curriculum framework pre-primary to

upper secondary.

Nsengimana, V. (2021). Implementation of Competence-based Curriculum in Rwanda:

Opportunities and Challenges. Rwanda journal of Education, 5(1), 159-138).