Kigali, On 19th June 2019, the Ministry of Education in collaboration with all  Education Development Partners held a Forward –Looking Joint Review of Education Sector (JRES). This one-day meeting was organized to engage all stakeholders in policy dialogue and to ensure ownership, accountability and transparency of the National Strategy for Transformation 1 (NST1) implementation and monitoring process.

 The 2019/20 Forward Looking Joint Education Sector Review aims at presenting and discussing areas prioritized during the planning and budgeting process, discussing and validating the 2019/20 sector targets and related policy actions, selecting policy related studies to be conducted in 2019/20 fiscal year and assessing progress towards implementation of the 2018/19 policy actions.

 The goal of this meeting is to bring together all education stakeholders, the  sector working groups, line ministries & local partners to review the progress made, particularly regarding these 4 objectives :

- To present & discuss areas prioritized in the planning & budgeting process

- To discuss & validate the 2019/20 sector targets & related policy actions

-  To assess the progress towards implementation of the 2018/19 policy actions

- To select policy-related studies to be conducted in 2019/20 fiscal year.

In his opening remarks , the Minister of Education Dr. Eugene MUTIMURA said : I take note that this forum takes place at a time when we are in a period of closing the fiscal year 2018/2019, and we are working together as we plan and budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2019/2020”.

 He later added: This forum has demonstrated the importance of education stakeholders being closer to the schools for better understanding the implementation of policies, analyze and assess challenges hampering quality of education, relevance, access and equity.”

 He emphasized that JRES 2019/2020 is an occasion to reflect on  priority areas and recommendations from Backward Looking JRES 2018/2019, the progress toward implementation of 2018/2019. “This forum will help us to deliberate on how successfully we are to achieve the goals we have set ourselves regarding enhancement of quality education at all levels.” he said.

 In his closing remarks, the Minister of State Dr.Isaac MUNYAKAZI  said “ I once again call upon all our stakeholders to keep the collaboration and support both technically and financially in aligning our national plans to the regional and international education goals.”

 MINEDUC and partners usually meet twice for such a forum, the last time they met was in October 17, 2018 whereby the Backward-looking Joint Review analysed achievements made in 2017/2018 and set Priorities for 2019/2020.

END.