Lithuanian and Finnish experts pre-school education will assist the Ministry of Education of Rwanda in strengthening early childhood education

Lithuania and Finland are launching a project in Rwanda that will provide children in Rwanda with better access to early childhood education and better preparation for primary school. The EU’s Twinning Programme project “Strengthening the Delivery of Early Childhood Education and Community Support for Learning in Rwanda” is led by the Lithuanian Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, with the involvement of the National Agency for Education and the Finnish Häme University of Applied Sciences. Lithuania will also invite early childhood education experts from Germany, Belgium and Bulgaria.

“In Lithuania, 96% of children aged 3-6 are educated in pre-school institutions, and as a country we have grown to the level of an expert in this field and we can successfully share our experience with other countries,” says Jonas Petkevičius, Vice-Minister and Project Leader.

The project, which started in October this year, will run for two years. Early childhood education experts from Lithuania, Finland and other countries will assist the Ministry of Education of Rwanda in reforming the early childhood education system, reviewing curricula, teacher training programs, quality and monitoring systems. Through cultural events and community activities, parents will be encouraged to become more involved in their children’s education, helping them to learn, develop reading and other skills. Training will be provided to Rwandan early childhood education staff and a model will be developed on how childcare professionals can become teachers in early childhood education. Visits for the staff will be organised to Lithuanian educational institutions, including kindergartens. External evaluation specialists from Lithuania and other countries will help the Ministry of Education of Rwanda to develop a model and criteria for quality monitoring. Experts will help Rwanda find the best ways to ensure a smooth transition from early childhood to primary education.

At the end of the project, it is expected that Rwandan children of pre-school age develop better and more consistent learning skills and that repeat grades and drop out rates in later years are reduced. Currently, only about 20% of children in Rwanda are enrolled in early childhood education.

The European Commission is allocating €2 million for the implementation of this Twinning Programme project. The funding is managed by the European Social Fund Agency.

Photo: Pexels.com

Last updated: 06-11-2025

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