Education in Rwizikuru

Education in Rwizikuru is heavily based off of the Estmerish education system as had been implemented during their rule over Rwizikuru until 1946.

Overview

The basis of modern day education in Rwizikuru dates back to the arrival of the first Sotirian missionaries in the 1840s in present-day Rutendo. Over the next few decades, missionary schools were established to "educate the native population."

Following Charles Fitzhubert securing control of Rwizikuru in the 1860s, the educational system in the colony was developed along Estmerish lines, with colonial officials implementing similar policies to Estmere. By the 1920s, missionaries started reducing their role in providing education, especially in Port Fitzhubert and other major cities as local educational authorities were established.

After independence in 1946, the education system of Rwizikuru became more centralized, and within the next twenty years, Estmerish language instruction had been replaced by Rwizi language instruction.

Grading

Grade	Marks
A+	97% to 100%
A	90% to 96%
B	80% to 89%
C	70% to 79%
D	60% to 69%
E	50% to 59%
F	40% to 49%
G	0% to 39%
U	ungraded

Academic year

The academic year in Rwizikuru is divided into three trimesters (Rwizi: chetatu).

The first trimester starts on the first week of September, and lasts until the last week of November. Following the end of the first trimester, a one-month Christmas break takes place, with the second trimester beginning on the start of January and lasting until Easter. After a week-long Easter break, the third trimester starts and lasts until the first week of July, when the academic year ends.

Classes usually start at 9 am and usually last until 3 pm. However, in many schools, especially in fast-growing regions, hot-seating is common, where one half of the students are taught in the morning, and the other in the afternoon.

Education stages

The structure is based off the Estmerish education system as it stood on the eve of Rwizikuru's independence from Estmere in 1946. The only changes to the structure have been the renaming of the stages of education from Estmerish to Rwizi in 1959 to reflect the removal of Estmerish as an official language of Rwizikuru. Although Estmerish is now once again co-official, the names have not changed.

Education at the primary and secondary level are officially free, although the cost of education has been rising over the past few decades.

Age range	Name	Categories		Mandatory?
3-4	Kutamba boka	Pamberi chikoro
4-5	Kugamuchira	Chikoro mucheche
5-6	Mucheche 1
6-7	Mucheche 2
7-8	Chechidiki 1	Chikoro chechidiki
8-9	Chechidiki 2
9-10	Chechidiki 3
10-11	Chechidiki 4
11-12	Chekutanga Fomu	Chikoro chepamusoro	Chikoro cheGirama
12-13	Chepiri Fomu
13-14	Chechitatu Fomu
14-15	Chechina Fomu
15-16	Yechishanu Fomu	N/A
16-17	Yakaderera Yechitanhatu Fomu	N/A
17-18	Yakakwira Yechitanhatu Fomu	N/A

Preschool education

The pamberi chikoro (Rwizi for preschool, lit. before school) are largely offered by volunteers and charities, although they have to meet the educational requirements of the Education Ministry. They are often multi-age classrooms, with students ages three to five often in one classroom.

However, since the late 1990s, more and more primary schools have offered pamberi chikoro programs in chikoro mucheche, with the amount of schools offering them rising from 5% in 1990 to 74% in 2015. In larger centers such as Port Fitzhubert or Chekumabvazuva, schools will often have two classrooms for the pamberi chikoro: one for students ages 3-4, and one for ages 4-5.

As of 2015, 64% of three year-old children, and 85% of four-year old children attend a pamberi chikoro, with the rate higher in major cities, and lower in rural areas.

Primary education

When a student turns five, compulsory education begins, and children will start going to a chikoro mucheche. Students are all taught in Rwizi or in Estmerish in the chikoro mucheche, and are taught literacy, art, physical education, sciences, and mathematics. After three years, students will go to a chikoro chechidiki for four more years. At the chikoro chechidiki, students begin learning history, sex education, and Gaullican.

At the end of Chechidiki 4, students take the eleven-plus exam. Those who are in the top 25% of students who passed nationwide go to the chikoro cheGirama while the remainder of students who passed go to the chikoro chepamusoro. Those that fail have to repeat chechidiki 4 until they have passed.

Secondary education

Students outside a grammar school, Port Fitzhubert, 2011

The most prestigious schools in Rwizikuru are the chikoro cheGirama. At the chikoro cheGirama, students are expected to learn sciences (physics, biology, chemistry), mathematics, physical education, history, arts (either fine arts or applied arts), Rwizi literature, and foreign languages.

The less prestigious schools are the chikoro chepamusoro. At the chikoro chepamusoro, they are taught mathematics, sciences (physics, biology, chemistry), applied arts, Rwizi and the Gaullican.

At the age of 14, students are no longer required to attend school. The following year, students take the O-levels at the Chechina Fomu. Those who pass receive the dhipuroma yakajairika (ordinary diploma), and if they are at the chikoro cheGirama can be eligible to enter sixth form and take the A-levels during that period. If they are at the chikoro chepamusoro, however, they are ineligible to take the A-levels.

If one passes the A-levels, the students receive the dhipuroma inokudzwa (honourable diploma), and are eligible to apply to study at a polytechnic, or at the University of Rwizikuru.

Tertiary education

Universities

University of Rwizikuru, 2006

The only independent university (i.e. not affiliated with another university) in Rwizikuru is the University of Rwizikuru, which opened in 1941 in Port Fitzhubert, and continues to operate from its site at Port Fitzhubert, as well as satellite sites in Munzwa and Port Graham. The University of Rwizikuru gives degrees in law, education, health sciences, natural sciences, political science, chemistry, biology, geology, engineering, nursing, medicine, linguistics, music, and journalism.

However, due to allegations of corruption and declining educational standards at the university, since the 1990s, more and more students are studying abroad in countries, especially TBD. This has led to the opening of a satellite campus of the TBD university in 2018 in Chekumabvazuva, called the TBD University of Chekumabvazuva, due to the growing demand of students in Rwizikuru wanting to study at a TBDian university, as opposed to the University of Rwizikuru.

Polytechnics

There are twenty-seven recognized polytechnics (Rwizi: koreji hwokugadzira) in Rwizikuru. They largely specialize in technology, engineering, applied sciences and natural sciences, though some have fine arts programs, such as the Mkondo Polytechnic at Chekumabvazuva.