On August 31, 2023, the U.K. announced that Foreign Office Minister Andrew Mitchell will visit Rwanda for the commencement of a new education initiative, Girls in Rwanda Learn (GIRL). Mitchell will attend the annual Gorilla naming ceremony, symbolizing the United Kingdom’s commitment to battle poverty in Rwanda. Here is how GIRL is helping address the limitations of Rwanda’s education system. 

About the Struggles of Rwanda’s Education System

The National Institute of Rwanda’s 2022 report illustrated the need for reform of Rwanda’s education system, with a mere 25% of students advancing from primary to secondary school. This lackluster education is reflected in the labor force, as the national report displays that only 17% of the labor force has a secondary school education. With a small proportion of the population gaining secondary education, most youths are fighting for the same jobs, with the stiff competition for work resulting in a 22% youth unemployment rate as of 2020. 

Rwanda’s educational struggles have culminated in a poor economy, with the UN reporting in 2021 that around 44% of the population is in poverty and another 22% is at risk of falling into poverty. With poverty impacting nearly half the nation, severe economic pressure ends up on the children of the nation to assist the household, contributing to the lack of educational participation.

About the GIRL Initiative

Mitchell proclaimed that with the U.K.’s involvement and investment into Rwanda, they will be able to tackle “a range of issues important to both nations and the region, including climate change and women and girls’ education.” The U.K.’s GIRL initiative focuses on funding the education of girls in Rwanda whose economic situation would not allow them to pursue education. 

With the program drawing from a fund of 60 million Great British Pounds, the GIRL initiative will last until 2030 and improve the learning conditions in nearly half of the poorest schools in Rwanda. Mitchell declared that through “our support to help eradicate poverty, educate children, especially girls, and provide British expertise to improve the delivery of public services for all,” the initiative will likely impact nearly 700,000 children. 

The GIRL initiative will provide services, including programs that assist those with disabilities, formulating a system to prevent girls from prematurely dropping out of school and a digital library for students to access resources. 

How UNICEF is Helping

Additionally, UNICEF backs the GIRL initiative. UNICEF allocated more than 12 million pounds on top of the preexisting 60 million. With both the U.K. and UNICEF showing support for Rwanda’s education system, the nation is finally receiving the attention and backing required to propel itself out of the poverty plaguing the nation. 

While the U.K. has begun implementing the GIRL initiative, the U.K. will continue to build its relationship with Rwanda. Meeting in April 2024 at the U.K.-African Investment Summit, the U.K. displays continued interest in assisting the nation in its battle with poverty. 

To support Rwanda’s fight against poverty, UNICEF plans to support the children of Rwanda and provide them with adequate infrastructure to rise above poverty.

– Dimitri Lykidis
Photo: Flickr