Category: Rwanda cohort

During the COVID-19 outbreak in Rwanda, I had the opportunity to continue learning about research methods for social science, as part of my ongoing engagement in the Voices of Refugee Youth initiative. It was a great experience, despite the challenges of virtual lecturing for Unit 2 and Unit 3 of the training course. COVID-19 has made learning difficult in Rwanda, particularly for students in secondary schools, universities, and primary schools. Several lockdowns and COVID-19 restrictions made it impossible to gather as a group, as we did for Unit 1 before the outbreak in Rwanda. As a result, this blog will focus on my experiences as a refugee, living in a refugee camp in Rwanda, while virtually undertaking the research methods training course offered by Jigsaw and REUK.

We transitioned to doing the research methods training course virtually during the pandemic, starting with Unit 2 of the course from April 26th to May 11th, 2021. In Rwanda, this was a time of significant COVID-19 measures. Physical lecturing was not an option at the time because schools, particularly Rwandan universities, had adopted online course delivery methods. The only choice was to continue the course over the internet, because that was the only way to finish Unit 2 and start collecting data for the second data point of the Voices of Refugee Youth research study. But it was a tough educational experience. It was my first time taking a rigorous virtual class for a course that required a high level of concentration and a conducive learning atmosphere.

The main challenge of virtual learning was that I was in the refugee camp all day while taking the research methods course. It was difficult to go online because my laptop’s battery could only last for about an hour, and it was difficult to connect to an electricity supply. However, I could occasionally use the tablet (provided by Jigsaw and REUK for the research study) in order to stay connected after my laptop’s battery died.

The learning mode (using a variety of online platforms) for the research methods training course was a new learning experience. It was my first time using Canvas, which was really new for me. However, I learnt how to use it, and was able to apply it later in the course. The skills I learnt in Unit 2 paved the way for Unit 3, because when I started lectures for Unit 3, I had an idea of what I was going to have to do online. Using Google Drive was troublesome for me as well; whenever I was required to complete an assignment, it had to be shared with all the course facilitators in order for them to mark it. However, the facilitators’ guidance during the virtual sessions gave me the courage to participate in each step, because every facilitator was committed to helping me if I became confused or needed assistance.

Throughout the virtual training for the research methods course, I’ve learned a lot. There are a few things that I believe are essential for anyone who is undergoing virtual learning for any subject. Firstly, a person must be open and honest about what he or she knows or does not know. It is difficult to assess a person’s knowledge and skills through virtual learning, and therefore, because a facilitator does not have access to everyone in person, a student must be sincere about what s/he understands. This can help a facilitator to return to a specific topic to ensure that their teaching on a particular subject is well captured.

I also advise anyone to prepare well and take the learning process seriously, so that his or her mind is prepared to engage with each topic. As a result, the student will achieve a good outcome and a clear understanding throughout the virtual learning process. It is important to be honest with oneself and with a facilitator in order to complete virtual training to a high level of knowledge and skill. Discipline combined with determination can lead anyone to achieve their goals, regardless of the obstacles they face along the way.

To summarise, in the virtual training for the research methods course, I faced numerous problems, including a lack of familiarity with the platform, a challenging learning environment, and the need to develop certain online skills, particularly with Google Sheets. Persevering through all of this, however, resulted in excellent learning and the ability to use Google Drive with either documents or spreadsheets. These are excellent new skills, in addition to the knowledge I gained from Jigsaw and REUK’s virtual research methods training. Above all, virtual learning ought to be taken seriously; otherwise, a learner may risk not being able to benefit from the training.

It was a huge accomplishment to complete the virtual training for Units 2 and 3 of the research methods course. Overall, it was a delight to have such an experience because it helped me to mould my thinking and better grasp research methods and remote learning systems.

During the survey conducted by Jigsaw Consult at Groupe Scolaire Paysannat L located near the Mahama Refugee Camp in early 2020, some findings emerged in the area of education, especially in post primary education. The survey targeted three hundred final year students (senior six) from different combinations such as Mathematics, Economics and Geography; History, Economics and Geography; Literature in English, Kinyarwanda and French.

The majority of respondents reported that through English clubs their English proficiency has improved and they have easily adapted to the Anglophone system of education used in Rwanda. For example, some of the respondents preferred to be surveyed in their mother tongue, but a great number of them who accepted the survey to be conducted in English from the beginning of the questionnaire to the end. This ability is due to their participation in English clubs and has positively impacted their ability to do their best at secondary school.

At the school that we collected data in, it was interesting to hear from both boys and girls that they wish to continue into higher education after they finish secondary school. They never doubt their success in the national exam, which is considered as the key factor for secondary students to get access to higher education. Many respondents also said that they will face the challenge of getting a scholarship. Many refugee students at Groupe Scolaire Paysannat L believe that UNHCR and NGOs will to support them to access higher education when they finish secondary school. Based on this, we realised that refugee students have regained their future hope and have started to think big compared to their first days of the arrival in the camp.

The school had existed even before the coming of Burundian refugees in Mahama Refugee Camp, but it was widened due to the arrival of Burundian refugee students who were fleeing because of the political conflict. Therefore, many survey respondents said that they have had one interruption to their secondary education caused by forced displacement.

At Groupe Scolaire Paysannat L school a great number of respondents salute the support from UNHCR and the Government of Rwanda. However, the shortage of education resources provided by partners in the education sector is a barrier for their good performance at school. Parents are not able to afford the cost of such resources at the market due to their living conditions.

Regarding the learning process, many students said that the school should link theory with practices by allocating internship time especially for final year students. Respondents want to have a well-equipped computer lab in order to improve their computer skills, because many of them have not used computer at all during their education period. When a student finishes secondary education without any computer skills, it becomes very hard for them to find a job as many jobs require computer skills.

When respondents are asked about the relationship between what they are studying and their future career, many of them reported that it is not easy to find the section or combination of subjects that matches with their future will. For example, at Groupe Scolaire Paysannat L there is no section of biology and chemistry or physics and chemistry, which students need to study if they want to become a nurse or physician and civil engineer. That is why the lack of section diversity forced some refugee students to study subjects that do not match with their future career.

However, despite the challenges outlined above, it was most interesting to hear many students say that they feel safe at school and they are treated the same in their classes as Rwandan students. The lack of any safeguarding concern or any other kind of harm was important to us during this survey. Many of the respondents expect this survey to help them carry their voice as far as possible and find solutions to the highlighted problems. They said that when they arrived in the refugee camp, they were asked questions about their educational background in their interview at the UNHCR registration centre, and the schools were designed based on the information they gave. Therefore, they said that they feel proud to see that they are not walking alone because the world is still thinking about them.

In general, the survey provided objective information not only about how helpful education in refugee camps is, but also about different barriers that block refugee students’ ability to do their best at secondary school.