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The project aimed to improve the relevance of secondary STEM education and to strengthen the link with the world of work, by supporting STEM and ICT teachers in Kayonza district to set up after-school coding clubs in their schools. This is a two-year pilot project implemented from July 2020 to June 2022.
Scratch is a free coding tool that develops creative, problem-solving and collaborating skills, helping learners to thrive in a digital economy.
The Scratc²h 2050 project was closed through a dissemination event where the project journey and evaluation findings were disseminated to key partners and stakeholders. In the framework of the project, more than 160 STEM and ICT teachers from 54 secondary schools in Kayonza district were trained on Scratch through a blended learning trajectory.
During the learning trajectory, teachers started to facilitate coding clubs with their learners to provide them with the opportunity to develop digital skills in an enjoyable environment, combining fun with learning the language of Generation Z: the programming language. To bring the coding clubs to life and bring the coders together, two Scratch competitions were organised throughout the project. These competitions started at the school level, continued at the sector level, and finished at the district level, through a Scratch Day celebration. During this Scratch Day, each winner at the sector level had the opportunity to present their Scratch project, followed by a Q&A. The top three Scratch projects of each competition were awarded but most importantly, teachers and learners were inspired.
"The experience in the hackathon I had today was great. I learned that I could do anything with coding. You can even reach your dreams," said Ornella Irahari, a learner from FAWE Girls School during a Scratch Day in May 2022.
To demonstrate the potential of coding skills in the world of work, and to trigger students’ curiosity for a career in ICT, exposure visits to leading tech companies were also organised for selected students and their teachers. These exposure visits offered an opportunity for learners and teachers to understand why coding skills are important in professional life and how such skills can be used.
“This exposure visit made me start dreaming about becoming an expert in coding and eventually creating a game development company," said Jeremiah Nkurunziza, a learner from New Life Christian Academy, during an exposure visit in Kigali.
Next to these powerful change stories, an endline evaluation of the Scratc2h 2050 project provided evidence demonstrating the extent to which the project achieved expected results, outcomes, and impacts. The evaluation shows that the Scratc²h 2050 project indeed strengthened digital literacy and coding skills with teachers and learners and reduced the digital equity gaps.
Closing the Digital Divide with Teachers
Teachers increased their digital literacy skills, thanks to Scratc2h 2050 project. On a scale of 100, teachers’ digital literacy skills increased from 66 to 78 at endline. By the end of the intervention, the digital literacy gap between male and female teachers lessened from a nine-point difference to less than a four-point difference.
“The training put me on a good standard regarding the use of Scratch and other technical skills that helped me to teach to the students, and I am confident about what I am teaching,” said a male teacher.
Closing the Digital Divide with Learners
Students who had lower levels of proficiency prior to participation in the club saw the greatest increase in skills because of their participation.
“Participating in the Scratch club increased my curiosity to know more, not only in the technology world but also in my academics. That spirit of curiosity together with working often with teachers in the Scratch club opened me to asking questions to understand more in class hence increasing my performance remarkably,” a learner said.
Sustainability
Teacher and learner motivation, school leader support and national and district support are the main factors that will ensure the continuation of Scratch coding clubs at school level.
“We are not only here to celebrate, but to learn how we can strengthen the system and provide more opportunities for our learners. After this dissemination event we will ask REB, RTB to organise another session to discuss how we can build on the lessons learnt from this project,” Dr Gaspard Twagirayezu, Minister of State for Primary and Secondary Education at the Ministry of Education.
About VVOB
VVOB – education for development is an international non-profit organisation with 40 years of experience in quality education. Through capacity development, VVOB provides support to ministries of education in Africa, Asia and South America to improve (initial) professional development of teachers and school leaders in early childhood, primary, general secondary, and technical and vocational education. For more information on VVOB, please visit: www.vvob.org
About Enabel
Enabel is the Belgian development agency, implementing the Belgian international development policy. Under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Enabel carries out public service assignments in Belgium and abroad. With its partners, Enabel manages approximately 200 projects in view of improving public service delivery to citizens as well as the living conditions of populations, primarily on the African continent. Rwanda is among the three largest beneficiaries of Belgian development cooperation. This cooperation supports Rwanda’s sustainable development agenda for the socioeconomic welfare of its population.
For more information about Enabel, please visit: www.enabel.be