Teaching Math In RwandaSpring Semester 2007

Werner Horn, Susan Taylor, Carol Shubin, Jennifer Wright

      People

Population: 9,907,509

Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.9% (male 2,082,474/female 2,065,251) 15-64 years: 55.7% (male 2,748,189/female 2,765,767) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 98,796/female 147,032) (2007 est.)

Median age: total: 18.6 years male: 18.4 years female: 18.8 years (2007 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.766% (2007 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 48.99 years male: 47.87 years female: 50.16 years (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.37 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Languages: Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in commercial centers

Note Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa

:

   Economy

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,600 (2006 est.) ; Per capita income $250

GDP - compositio

n by sector:

agriculture: 39.9% industry: 20.3% services: 39.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force - by

occupation

agriculture: 90% industry and services: 10%

Inflation rate :

8.8% (2006 est.)

Education Facts

Average years of schooling of adults 2.6 [88th of 100]

Duration of compulsory education 6 years [164th of 171]

Duration of education > Primary level 6 [124th of 181]

Duration of education > Secondary level 6 [132nd of 181]

Education spending (% of GDP) 2.8% [115th of 132]

Female enrollment share > Primary level 50% [5th of 176]

Female enrollment share > Secondary level 49.1% [90th of 170]

Grade 1 intake rate 64.9 [58th of 114]

Library books 1,197 [81st of 81]

Tertiary enrollment 1.7%

Kigali Institute of Science and Technology(KIST)

• Established 1997 to address the

acute shortage of technical personnel

• Offers degrees in Engineering, Applied Science, Technical Education and Entrepreneurship

Science 3 building

houses math dept

Curriculum

• Very high standards• KIST curriculum is much more ambitious than

CSUN’s math curriculum• Cohort structure• Little or no choice of classes• No dropping classes• Passing requires 50% - if a students fails they must

repeat the year• Students spend 30-40 hours a week in class• Almost all classes are taught in English• Grand vision – lack of faculty makes it hard to

implement

Kigali Institute of EducationMath component of Secondary

Teacher Education Program

One third of the program (Math component only)

YEAR 1SEMESTER 1• CODE COURSE TITLE• MAT 101 Elementary Mathematics• MAT 102 Calculus 1• MAT 103 Linear Algebra 1

SEMESTER 2• MAT 104 Linear Algebra II• MAT 105 Abstract Structures I• MAT 106 Analytical and Affine Geometry

YEAR 2SEMESTER 1• MAT 201 Calculus II• MAT 202 Introduction to Differential Equations (ODE and

PDE)• MAT 203 Probability and Statistics

SEMESTER 2• MAT 204 Complex Analysis• MAT 205 Representations of Finite Groups• MAT 206 Projective Geometry• MAT 207 Numerical Analysis I

YEAR 3SEMESTER 1• MAT 301 Differential Geometry• MAT 302 Probability and Statistics II• MAT 303 Fundamentals of Computers

SEMESTER 2• MAT 304 Functional Analysis• MAT 305 Lie Groups, Lie Algebras and their

Representations• MAT 306 Applied Differential Equations• MAT 307 History of Mathematics and Physics

YEAR 4SEMESTER 1• MAT 401 Advanced Complex Analysis• MAT 402 Geometry and Topology of Dynamical Systems• MAT 403 Probability and Statistics III• MAT 404 Introduction to Galois Theory• MAT 405 Measure Theory• MAT 406 Numerical Analysis II

SEMESTER 2• MAT 406 Arithmetic• MAT 407 Non-Euclidean Geometry and Its Applications• MAT 408 Mathematical Introduction to Computers• MAT 409 Research Project in Mathematics

Students• Students go through college in cohorts• Bright, motivated, and hard working• Most first year students are

francophones• Government supported students

(25,000FRW~$50 per month for room, board, supplies, and transportation)

• Privately supported students- Tuition cost per semester ~ $1200*

• Most students skip meals to get by• Student housing crisis • Few students have access to the internet• Most students have no books

RE Math skills:Students had good algebraic skills, but poor graphing skills

Faculty and Staff• Disparity in pay scale between Rwandans

and expats• Rwandans study abroad often don’t return• Math dept is under-staffed, only 2 PhDs in

math, majority of staff is expat• Poor communication within the department

and the university• Poor organization have to teach to a flexible

schedule; class and exams times may change with little notice

• Large classes and heavy teaching loads• Large classes 150+ students in cohorts• Little assistance for grading, etc.

Infrastructure

• Poor light or glare • One free standing blackboard, if any• Poor acoustics• Leaking ceiling• Inaccessible computer lab• No textbooks• Little photocopying • No sinks in student’s bathroom• Lack of organization and communication• Carrying blackboards and chairs from one class to

another

• Student dormitories were appalling –

Students pay $8 per month for the following accommodations 2 students per twin bed, 16 students per room, old mattresses with bugs, general insect infestation, no lights, no showers, students bath in outdoor sinks

for laundry, unclean water runoff, 2 toilets for 800 students, poor security, unsafe structure

Run by the Rwandan Red Cross $8*x12x800= $76,800 per year

Where does the money go?

Adminstration Direct control of the University by the President

Kagame (all classes were

cancelled for 5 weeks to prepare for an international Aids Conference)

The Senate approves the curriculum

Foreign aid from the UK, Netherlands, and Japan funds the university

The provosts are sent from UK Open University and appointed by the Senate

Incoming expat faculty have no idea what the structure of the university is – there is no directory or orientation

Frank and open communication is not

really tolerated; example – faculty were asked to take a pay cut to fund a genocide memorial. Resolution passed with no discussion.

Future

More online classes, expand the African Virtual University

Look for more partnerships in the East African Community and global partnerships

Increase Vocational Training and Teacher TrainingPrograms