Strengthening School Leadership: The LEAD Programme in Rwanda

LEAD programme offered two continuous professional development programmes: 

• A diploma in Effective School Leadership for headteachers and deputy headteachers
• A Certificate in Educational Mentorship and Coaching for school – based mentors 

Both CPDs were delivered through a blended learning model, combining in-person and online sessions to ensure flexibility and accessibility for participants.  

Throughout the LEAD programme, these CPDs were projected to be implemented in 650 primary schools across Rwanda’s 30 districts. The first cohort launched in April 2023, involving participants from 10 districts. The second cohort followed in January 2024 with participants from eight districts while the third cohort kicked in November 2024 with participants from other eight districts.  Across these three cohorts, approximately 680 headteachers and deputy headteachers were engaged, 22% of whom were female.  Unfortunately, the programme phased out prematurely in March 2025 after fully reaching only 18 out of 30 intended districts. Additionally, around 660 school – based mentors, including 31% female were reached. A fourth cohort which was targeting 100 headteachers and deputy headteachers and 150 school – based mentors was planned for September 2025.  

Each cohort began with a four-day in-person onboarding course, followed by a combination of in-person sessions and online learning through Moodle, an intuitive platform designed to enhance their professional development journey. 

“It’s my first time learning online”, she said. “I’m excited to use Moodle, which will allow me to study remotely from anywhere. Teaching and leading a school are different, yet related. This training comes at the right time. I hope to gain leadership skills to drive positive change in my school.”

Ms Nizeyimana also expressed enthusiasm about learning strategies to support her staff: “Most teachers at my school didn’t study education. I look forward to learning how to support them and can’t wait to attend the diploma course.”

The onboarding course was a game-changer: “I’ve learnt how to create professional documents, insert and resize images, use formulas in Excel, and organise files efficiently. I’ll now train my teachers to use Excel for student reports—it’s more professional and user-friendly.” 

Ms Uwamahoro was also eager to deepen her understanding of school leadership standards and hoped to develop strategies for engaging teachers, parents, and local leaders in school improvement plans.

With 11 years of teaching experience and two years in leadership, Mr Tuyishime looked forward to enhancing his leadership skills to address challenges in his school: "I believe leadership is a skill that can be learnt rather than an innate talent. Before taking the deputy headteacher exam, I prepared by exploring online resources, including training manuals on school leadership from VVOB’s website, and seeking advice from friends who are school leaders. These resources and insights were invaluable in helping me succeed. However, once I started the role, I realised there was much more to learn about leadership. For example, I need to deepen my understanding of how to bring our school’s vision and mission to life, which I believe this training will help me achieve," Mr Tuyishime shared.

Leon N. Mugenzi, the Head of Teacher Development, Management, Career Guidance and Counseling Department at REB, emphasized that continuous professional development in school leadership drives positive change at various levels within a school.  

“The Ministry of Education and Rwanda Basic Education Board believe in the power of effective school leadership and expect to see more changes at school, teacher, and learner levels as a result of participation of school leaders and school-based mentors in these CPD programmes,” he stated during the launch of the second cohort in March 2024.

Since 2015, VVOB in collaboration with partners, and with support from the Mastercard Foundation and the Belgian government, has delivered CPD diploma and certificate programmes. These initiatives have reached over 2,200 headteachers and deputy headteachers nationwide, with 21% being female. Additionally, approximately 3,900 school-based mentors and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subject leaders have been trained, 27.3% of whom are women. Moreover, 400 sector and district education officials from 17 districts, including 90 women, have benefited from the certificate programme. 

Recognising the pivotal role of effective school leadership in improving learning outcomes and building on its extensive experience in supporting school leaders, VVOB has consistently advocated for institutionalisation of school leadership at various levels. Furthermore, VVOB has championed the requirement for all school leaders to undergo CPD in Effective School Leadership, as research underscores that no school can thrive without strong leadership. 

These efforts have contributed to a significant school leadership policy milestone, as reflected in the Prime Minister's order establishing the special Statute Governing Employees of Basic Education Institutions in November 2024. Notably, the statute requires all headteachers and deputy headteachers to complete mandatory continuing professional development course in effective school leadership as a prerequisite for obtaining a school leadership license.

As part of the operationalisation of the Statute, VVOB in collaboration with Rwanda Basic Education Board initiated the development of a CPD framework for school leaders. This framework sought to strengthen the school leadership system by linking school leaders’ continuous professional development with career progression, thereby enhancing professional performance, motivation, and socio-economic status.