Rethinking Rwandan Higher Education Assessment System and Approaches

In recent years, there have been increasing critiques leveled against Rwandan higher education for the quality of its graduates and various attempts have been made to address the problem. It is argued here that the role played by assessment in Rwandan higher education system has not been given sufficient attention in previous critiques. Research suggests that assessment plays a major role in what and how students learn.  Assessments explicitly designed to promote learning lead to complex learning achievements that are widely deemed critical in the 21st century.However, there are indications that Rwandan higher education assessment system has been dominated by summative assessment which does not necessarily promote learning, and is sometimes counterproductive. This paper argues for a more strategic perspective on assessment in a balanced fashion with the main purpose of promoting more complex learning among students. A new assessment paradigm is proposed whereby students should play a central role in ongoing monitoring of their learning.Key words: Assessment purposes, summative assessment, formative assessment, learning complexity, selfregulated learnin

The use of computer based instructions to enhance Rwandan Secondary School Teachers’ ICT competency and continuous professional development

This study intended to investigate into the extent to which computers and Internet that are being availed to schools in Rwanda can be used to enhance teachers’ ICT competency and continuous professional development. In order to attain this ultimate aim, researchers undertook a Problem Solving and Theory Testing Research Design. Such a design enabled researchers to demonstrate how teachers can use computers and Internet resources to address the problems of lack of textbooks, access to updated and wide range of educational resources. These issues were highlighted in a prior field survey carried out by researchers in selected secondary schools. The theory tested is the social constructivism that values communities of practice, collaboration and learners’ activities. In total, 13 teachers of Groupe Scolaire "Marie-Reine", Rwaza were voluntarily taken to a one month intensive training on the effective use of Internet as an educational source of information. The training took place in the school computer lab for a period of one month. The Computer Based Instruction combined individualized learning, group learning, peer and researchers’ support strategies. Data were collected using observation forms, collection of correspondences and focus group discussion. These data were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The overall findings lead to conclude that the effective use of computers and Internet in schools increases teachers’ skills and abilities to teach. Indeed, this study enables underline the role of continuous professional development in order to fulfill of the 21st century’s educational imperatives in terms of teachers’ competency, learners’ expectations and societal needs.Cette étude avait pour but de s’enquerir à quel point les ordinateurs et l’ Internet qui sont déjà présents dans les écoles au Rwanda peuvent être utilisé en vue de renforcer les compétences des enseignants et leur formation professionnelle continue. En vue d’attendre cette visée, les chercheurs ont emprunté l'approche Solution-Problème et Vérification de Théorie. Cette approche leur a permis de démontrer combien les enseignants peuvent utiliser des ordinateurs et des ressources d’Internet pour adresser les problèmes de manque de manuels et d’accès à de large sources d’ informations actualisées. Ces problèmes avaient été évoqués lors d’ une enquête préalable menée sur terrain par les chercheurs eux-mêmes dans les écoles secondaires échantillonnées. La théorie testée est celle connue sous le nom de socioconstructivisme qui est fondée sur les principes tels que la communauté d’apprentissage, la collaboration et l’activité de l'apprenant. L'en somme, 13 enseignants du Groupe Scolaire 'Marie-Reine', Rwaza ont été volontairement soumis à une formation intensive d’un mois sur l'utilisation efficace de l'Internet comme source d'informations éducatives. La formation fût conduit dans le laboratoire informatique de ladite école. Comme approche méthodologique, la formation a combiné l'apprentissage individualisé, l'apprentissage de groupe, l’apprentissage par pair et l’assistance de la part des chercheurs. Les données ont été recueillies en utilisant des formulaires d'observation, la collection de correspondances et la discussion en groupe. Ces données ont été analysées tant qualitativement que quantitativement. Les résultats ont mené à conclure que l'utilisation efficace des ordinateurs et l'Internet dans les écoles accroit les compétences et les habiletés des enseignants ainsi que leur capacités d'enseigner. En outre, ces resultats ont conduit à souligner l’importance de la formation professionnelle continue en vue de répondre valablement aux impératifs éducatifs du 21ème siècle du point de vue de la compétence des enseignants, les attentes des apprenants et les demandes de la société.Key words: Computer Based Instruction (CBI), Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Continuous Professional Development (CPD), Collaborative Learning (CL), Asynchronous and Synchronous Communicatio

Pattern and clinical management of penile cancer in Rwanda

Introduction: Penile cancer is rare in developed countries but has a high prevalence in some developing countries. Surgery includes inguinal lymphadenectomy, which remains the mainstay treatment of the disease.Objective: This study reports on the epidemiological profile of penile cancer and clinical management options in Rwanda. Patients and methods: From January 2015 to June 2016, a multicenter cross-sectional, prospective cohort study was conducted involving all male patients presenting with penile cancer after two national radio campaigns and a Ministry of Health instruction to all district hospitals. All patients with positive biopsy were included. Surgical treatment aligned with published guidelines. Clinical characteristics, surgery, pathology, and early follow-up data were collected.Results: Over 18 consecutive months, 30 male patients were enrolled. The mean age was 60 years [range 33–83]. All patients were uncircumcised before symptom onset; 50% had phimosis and 20% were HIV- positive. The estimated prevalence of penile cancer in Rwanda was 0.37 per 100,000 men. At presentation, 96.7% of patients had a T2-4 disease and 43.3% were with clinically non-palpable inguinal lymph nodes (cNO). After penectomy, bilateral inguinal lymphadenectomy was performed in 10 (33.3%) patients (modified and radical in 16 and 4 limbs, respectively). Complications included surgical site infection (10%), lymphocele (10%), urethral meatus stenosis (6.7%), skin necrosis (3.3%) and two (6.7%) patients with metastatic disease died in hospital.Conclusion: Penile cancer is a rare but significant disease in Rwanda. Patients present with advanced disease. After treatment of the primary tumor, modified inguinal lymphadenectomy appears to be a safe method of cure and staging for patients with clinically impalpable inguinal lymph nodes. Our early results provide a compelling insight into this rare but serious disease

A minimum estimate for the incidence of gastric cancer in Eastern Kenya

We documented available information concerning incident cases of gastric cancer in part of Kenya's Eastern Province between 1991 and 1993. By reviewing the records of all major health facilities in the area, 200 cases of gastric carcinoma were found giving an annual average crude incidence rate of 7.01 per 100 000 males and 3.7 for females (world age-standardised rates, 14.3 for males and 7.1 for females). There is likely to be underascertainment of cases especially among those aged over 65 years. Previous incidence estimates for the same area of Kenya were reviewed and a 10-fold increase in the recorded indirectly standardised incidence rate between the periods 1965–70 and 1991–93 was noted but this may be due to improved diagnostic facilities. The recent rates in this part of Kenya are comparable to Eastern European rates and similar to those recorded in other highland regions of Africa. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaig

Prune-Belly Syndrome: A Case Report from Rwanda

Background: Prune-Belly syndrome, Eagle-Barret syndrome and triad syndrome, all refer to congenital anomalies involving abdominal musculature, urinary tract and testicles. The syndrome consists of a triad of abdominal muscle aplasia, massive ureteral and bladder dilatation and cryptorchidism. Kidneys are often affected by secondary hydronephrosis or by polycystic dysplasia. The full manifestation of the syndrome occurs almost exclusively in boys. Available reports on the epidemiology and outcome show a high perinatal mortality due to related prematurity and associated pulmonary complications. The management of a prune-belly patient has been controversial. However nowadays, the tendency is to assist primarily prune – belly neonates in respiratory failure, and to limit radical urologic interventions. Case Report: We report hereby a full term prune-belly neonate who succumbed from this condition before being adequately investigated. Our purpose is to call clinicians’ attention to early recognition, investigation and management of the syndrome. Even though infants with a full-blown syndrome have a poor prognosis for long term survival, all patients need careful evaluation and individualized management according to the spectrum of the syndrome. In this paper, the morphogenesis and the developmental biology of the abdominal wall will be also recalled, and literature reviewed

Psychotrauma, healing and reconciliation in Rwanda: the contribution of community-based sociotherapy

Introduction: In post-genocide Rwanda, many different kind of interventions have been implemented on different levels of society focusing on the healing of psychological problems and reconciliation between victims and perpetrators of the previous political violence. This article presents the practice of community-based sociotherapy and its impact in terms of healing and reconciliation as well as its specificity compared to other interventions. Methodology: A variety of qualitative research methods were used with an emphasis on the most significant-change-stories method. Results: Sociotherapy was introduced in Rwanda in 2005. Sociotherapy groups of 10-12 people living in the same neighborhood meet once a week during 2-3 hours for a period of 15 weeks. The most significant problems people suffer from due to the political violence is the destruction of social relations. It is in the phase of care that is usually reached during the 4th of 5th session that a change in people’s behavior and interaction with others, including former enemies, takes place. This change results in a rerouting of their personal, family and community life which is experienced as a release of problems previously buried in people’s hearts. While many of the interventions in Rwanda which are specifically aimed at reconciliation result at most, in ‘thin’ reconciliation, sociotherapy resulted, in many cases, in ‘thick’ reconciliation. Conclusion: Justice and care should complement each other when the aim is healing from the wounds of a violent past and reconciliation along ethnic lines