Learner-centered pedagogy (LCP) is one of the best approaches in developing knowledge, skills, and attitudes of learners to cope with the changing world. Implementation of LCP practices tend to vary from one context to another. It is within this perspective that this study was conducted with the aim of investigating the teachers’ attitudes toward LCP in public primary schools located in Nyarugenge District. A sample size of 165 teachers was selected from 13 public and government-aided primary schools. Simple percentages, and chi-square analysis were used to analyze data, and the findings were triangulated with questionnaire and interview responses. Results show that primary school teachers manifested negative attitude toward LCP. The study also indicates that both institutional and individual factors, such as insufficient and inadequate trainings, lack of clear indicators on LCP, and lack of prior experience on LCP among colleges and university tutors during preservice training, affect the attitude of teachers. It is further revealed that gender does not influence the attitude of teachers; however, training was found to be significant at .05 level. It is therefore important that authorities ensure proper training to head teacher, school subject leaders, and teachers on LCP and avail clear indicators on those methods.

This study explores why and how learner-centred pedagogy (LCP) as a policy has been adopted in Rwanda, despite ample evidence of the failure of LCP in developing countries. The case of Rwanda, as a late adopter, shows that at this stage of pedagogy diffusion the influence of global mechanisms and actors has been amplified. This study draws upon interviews with key stakeholders and relevant documents during the 2011-2016 period. The transfer process is examined by analysing the rationale offered and mechanisms deployed by the Rwandan government and aid agencies.

Although there is an invaluable growth of science and technology across the world, many young people appear to lose interest in Mathematics and science-related subjects due to poor academic achievement caused by different factors. The factors affecting students' achievement in science subjects among sub-Saharan Africa countries,including Rwanda, have been an issue for stakeholders on investigating how to improve the teaching and learning of science in basic education. In this study, a purposive cluster sampling of 261 participants, including 210 students, 23 teachers, seven head teachers, seven Sector Education Inspectors (SEIs), and 14 parents were used. Data were collected through a questionnaire addressed to learners; analyzed using SPSS via descriptive statistics. An interview was conducted with students' representatives, teachers, head teachers,Sector Education Inspectors, and focus group discussion with 14 parents which was analyzed using content analysis. The analysis indicated that key factors of low performance in science subjects include the level of teachers' education; family's economic background; availability of teaching and learning materials; distance covered by learners from home to school; learner's prior knowledge; and level of parents'education and absenteeism of learners. Thus, the above seem to affect the academic achievement of students in the advanced level of Twelve-Year Basic Education in Rwanda. Views about how to improve learning achievements in science such as equipping the laboratories, constructing more 12YBE schools in various areas to curb the problem of long distances covered by learners to and from school, training teachers on innovative teaching methods were suggested. The results informed that in-service teachers' training and parental involvement should be encouraged to track and sustain learners’ learning.

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Rwanda has made tremendous achievements in improving access of both males and females all levels of education. To this end, reforms and equity measures have been undertaken to promote gender equality within the Rwandan education system. However, while the proportion of female students is quite good at lower levels of education, it shrinks at higher educational ladder. In this perspective, enrollment, participation, completion and achievement rates of girls are still lower at secondary and tertiary levels compared to boys. Another discrepancy is observed in the fields of studies and university of choice. In fact, girls are more likely to enroll in courses related to social studies mostly available in private institutions rather than enrolling in science related courses available in public universities. Furthermore, females are under-represented in both academic and administration positions at secondary and tertiary levels of education. Therefore, the key objectives of this paper were to highlight the progress made towards achievement of gender equality, to identify the factors that contributed to that achievement, and finally to explore what remains a stumbling to full realization of gender parity in Rwandan education system. This paper was mainly a desktop research that used different official documents including statistics yearbooks, reports, and strategic plans among others. The study revealed that the number of girls outnumbered that of boys at lower levels of education, elimination of school fees, reforming curricula and establishing gender sensitive infrastructure contributed to this progress. Poverty and some traditional socio-cultural beliefs are key challenges to gender parity. Government and other stakeholders were recommended to sensitize and encourage girls to enroll in TVT and universities, and provide more gender sensitive infrastructure and amenities.

Biology is a core and required science subject offered at the upper secondary school level in the Nigerian educational system. However, students’ attitude towards the subject is poor, a trend probably due to the use of teacher-centred educational strategies. Scholars have thus advocated for the need to adopt innovative educational strategies to enhance students’ attitude towards biology. This study investigated the use of consensus and cooperative reflective journal writing educational strategies in enhancing students’ attitudes towards biology in two Local Government Areas (LGAs) within Ibadan Metropolis of Oyo State, Nigeria. The study adopted a quantitative pre-test-post-test, control group quasi-experimental design involving a 3x2 factorial matrix, with a positivist paradigm. Purposive sampling was used to select six schools across the LGAs while an intact class of upper secondary school II students was selected from each of the schools for a total of 305 participants. Two instruments, the Biology Attitude Questionnaire (BAQ) and the Students’ Verbal Ability Test (SVAT) were used during the study. The data generated were analysed using the Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Results showed that, treatments enhance students’ attitudes toward biology. Results also revealed that students’ verbal ability has effect on students’ attitudes toward biology. The interaction between treatment and verbal ability was not significant to enhance students’ attitudes toward biology. The two strategies, therefore, enhanced students’ attitude towards Biology in the two LGAs within Ibadan metropolis of Oyo State, Nigeria. The two strategies should therefore be adopted in teaching Biology to upper secondary school students in Nigeria and elsewhere. Keywords: attitude toward biology, consensus strategy, cooperative strategy, reflective journal writing, verbal ability

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