February 2024
Building the Foundations – Understanding Needs
17–24 February 2024
The first mission focused on getting to know schools and building a professional network. The RISE team visited ten schools in Kigali and the surrounding area and organised the first joint seminar with around 80 school leaders and teachers from 15 schools. Together, the major challenges of special needs education in Rwanda were analysed, laying the foundation for future cooperation.
Objectives
● Get to know schools
● Identify needs
● Build trust
● Define common priorities
Contents
● School visits
● Introduction to Special Needs Education
● Exchange of experiences
● Cooperation with parents
● Building a school network
● Developing a shared vision
Impact
The foundation of today's RISE network was established. Teachers identified their need for practical professional development, assessment tools, and teaching materials. At the same time, a shared vision for the further development of special needs education in Rwanda emerged.
August 2024
Understanding Children Better
5–7 August 2024
The second workshop deepened the professional foundations. In addition to contributions from the Swiss team, Rwandan school leaders shared their own experiences for the first time. At the same time, cooperation with the Rwanda Education Board (REB) began, giving the project its first institutional recognition.
Objectives
● Deepen understanding of different developmental pathways
● Strengthen teachers in supporting children with special educational needs
● Expand cooperation with educational authorities
Contents
● Emotional development / Introduction to the SED-S Assessment
● Autism, ADHD
● Parent collaboration
● Activity-Based Learning
● Practical examples from Rwandan schools
Impact
Teachers became familiar with assessment tools that help them better understand children's behaviour and plan targeted support measures.
Relationships with the Rwanda Education Board and additional partner organisations were significantly strengthened.
February 2025
Learning through Action
13–14 February 2025
The third workshop focused on activity-based learning. Around 30 teachers explored teaching materials that can be produced using locally available resources and can be applied immediately in the classroom. These learning materials are suitable for pre-primary education, mainstream schools, as well as schools that primarily serve children with cognitive or physical disabilities. The focus therefore shifted from theory to practical classroom application.
Objectives
● Make teaching more practice-oriented
● Develop individual learning materials
● Promote holistic learning
● Deepen the foundations
Contents
● Review and application of the SED-S Assessment
● Understanding children's developmental stages and typical behaviour at different ages
Lebensaltern kennen und verstehen
● Introduction to and understanding of Activity Trays
● Production of teaching materials, for example for classroom management
● Learning through all senses
Impact
Participants developed their own learning materials and immediately implemented them in their schools. Initial contacts with the College of Education of the University of Rwanda were established with the aim of integrating the programme into teacher education over the long term.
July 2025
Further Developing Classroom Practice
14–16 July 2025
The fourth workshop built on the experience gained during previous courses. Many participants had already attended several workshops and were able to contribute their own experiences. The main focus was on deepening the application of the SED-S Assessment (determining a child's Emotional Developmental stage and responding with appropriate educational measures), classroom coaching, and the development of local multipliers.
Objectives
● Sustainably embed the course contents
● Develop teachers into local multipliers
● Expand classroom coaching
● Hold the first meeting with the Principal of the College of Education
Contents
● Advanced understanding of emotional development and the SED-S Assessment
● Independent application of the SED-S Assessment for one or more pupils in the participants' own classrooms
● Classroom coaching
● Activity-Based Learning: producing additional Activity Trays and explaining their purpose and educational value
● Exchange of experiences between schools
Impact
Individual training events developed into a committed network of schools. Teachers increasingly apply the SED-S Assessment independently and share their experiences within their own schools as well as with colleagues from other schools.
February 2026
From Knowledge to Implementation
16–21 February 2026
The fifth mission combined school visits with a two-day training programme. The focus was on the practical implementation of the knowledge and skills developed during the previous two years. At the same time, cooperation with Rukara Model School and the College of Education established an important connection with public schools and teacher education in Rwanda.
Objectives
● Support the implementation of new approaches in the classroom
● Provide individual coaching for schools
Contents
● School visits
● Classroom coaching
● Activity-Based Learning
● Application of the SED-S Assessment
● Communication and behaviour
● School development
Impact
The school visits demonstrated that many of the programme's approaches had already been successfully integrated into classroom practice. Many teachers now apply the SED-S Assessment independently, develop their own Activity Trays, and support colleagues in implementing the methods within their own schools.