During a visit to Rwanda earlier this week, Julia Gillard, Board Chair of the Global Partnership for Education, spent time at the GS Rwamiko School in the rural Gicumbi district of Rwanda.

The school has more than 1,400 students in pre-primary, primary and secondary classes and a teaching staff of 30. Ms. Gillard met with students, teachers, and members of the parent/teacher association while learning about opportunities and challenges of education in rural areas of Rwanda.

GPE partner Save the Children is implementing the “Advancing the Right to Read” program in primary grades 1 to 3. The program is an evidence-based approach focusing on building the five core skills of reading (alphabetic knowledge, phonological/phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension).

This is done through regular assessments to identify gaps and measure improvements; teacher training, as well as community involvement and mobilization to support children’s reading.