Boris HIRWA NDENGA

Professor Franco Colombo Russell

ENGL 110

THE IMPACT OF RWANDA’S SHIFT FROM FRENCH TO ENGLISH ON

SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATION.

Language is a critical aspect of education, personal identity and prospects, especially in

nations experiencing rapid social and political changes. In 2008, Rwanda undertook an ambitious

and contentious process of replacing French with English as the official language of instruction

at all levels of education. The move was not just a simple reform within the education sector but

rather a deliberate national strategy driven by various socio-economic and political

considerations. Rwanda intended to increase its integration with the East African community and

position itself in global markets where English is dominant as the preferred language of business

transactions(McGreal par. 4). While the move created new openings for Rwandan students by

placing them in line with international standards and possibilities, the switch created problems in

classroom settings that affected both instruction and learning.Rwanda’s decision in 2008 to adopt

English as the language of instruction in schools created new avenues for global engagement for

students, nevertheless, the abrupt change adversely impacted the learning outcomes of students

owing to their poor command of English.

To better understand this policy, one should look into the country’s past and the political

situation in the country during that period as the policy reflects the goals pursued by the

government in terms of its historical experiences. Before 2008, the dominant language used in

education was French, thanks to Belgium’s influence. However, after the genocide in 1994,

Rwanda sought to become an ally with other countries, especially from East Africa, which speakEnglish. This decision reflected efforts to restore the country to its normal state and build

relationships with other nations. To the government, English signified more than just a tool of

communication, the government chose this language because it represented development and

unity and symbolized future progress. As Samuelson and Freedman note, English served as a

means of transforming national identity and positioning with global networks(Samuelson and

Freedman p.195). In the eyes of the government, English could provide opportunities for further

study and employment and bring technical developments to the country, since French was no

longer considered as useful as before (Samuelson and Freedman p.198). This context shows why

the government prioritized the policy regardless of the challenges it would face.

Figure 1. Rwanda’s geographic position within the East African Community,

highlighting its shift toward English-speaking regional integration.

In this regard, the introduction of the new language proved to have a number of very

beneficial effects. In particular, it opened up many opportunities that could not have been

achieved without the language shift. First of all, by introducing English as the language ofinstruction, Rwanda made sure that its education system was in compliance with the globally

recognized standards. Consequently, the country’s students had better chances to further their

education at leading universities around the world and use international sources of knowledge.

Second, being proficient in English, students were able to look for work in the international

market, where knowledge of English is usually essential. Finally, with the implementation of this

policy, Rwanda became an integral part of the East African community, which uses English as

the official language of interaction(Samuelson and Freedman p.200). Thus, it is possible to

conclude that in the long term, the introduction of English has become a valuable investment in

the development of the country.

FIG 2. Rwandan students engaging in English-based instructions.

Nevertheless, despite the above mentioned positive effects of the policy, there were

some negative educational outcomes which occurred immediately after the introduction of

this policy. One of the biggest problems that the policy introduced was that neither

teachers nor students were properly prepared for this policy change. As it is shown inresearch, the policy was introduced too rapidly to be successfully implemented without

enough training, planning and resources being provided(Pearson p.42). Teachers who had

been prepared to conduct classes in French had to change the language of teaching

immediately to English even though they did not master it sufficiently well. It becomes

problematic when it is impossible to give adequate explanations, to answer students’s

questions and to ensure proper quality of education when teachers themselves do not

understand what is happening in the class.

Moreover, there is evidence that teachers could hardly adjust their methods of

teaching as well since they were accustomed to teaching differently(Uwizeyimana

p.3).The same problems were evident among students, influencing negatively their

academic results and educational experience. For a large number of secondary school

learners, English was an unfamiliar language, as they were exposed to it very rarely before

the change was made. Thus the learners found it difficult to follow the lessons given in

English, especially those related to complicated subjects like sciences and mathematics.

Instead of getting involved in new knowledge, students focused on translation or

interpretation of the lessons given in English, significantly affecting their rate of learning

new things. Studies done by researchers in English medium schools in Rwanda indicate

that students had a problem with understanding lessons, taking part in classroom activities,

and achieved poorer academic results during that period(Uwizeyimana p.5, Niyibizi p.7).

This evidence directly supports the argument that although the language shift aimed to

create global opportunities, the abrupt implementation negatively impacted students’

learning outcomes due to their limited proficiency in English.Apart from these difficulties, there were many effects that classroom practices

experienced due to the implementation of the policy. For instance, the teachers would use

code switching when communicating in English, using Kinyarwanda or French language

in combination with English language. Although it gave some help temporarily, it also

shows how hard it was to implement this policy in reality(Uwizeyimana p.6). Another

challenge that was encountered during the implementation process was the availability of

proper teaching materials for learners. Many schools could not afford having teaching

materials in English, which made the learning process less effective for students. Besides,

there was no formalized program in place for the teachers’ professional development,

which made it challenging for the teachers to manage everything by themselves.

The gap between the positive outcomes anticipated by the policy and the real

problems experienced by all sides demonstrates the need to consider various opinions

about the matter. Whereas policymakers paid attention to the future benefits gained from

implementing English, researchers and teachers highlighted the current problems that

arose while using the language. Thus, for instance, according to Pearson, the problem lies

in the haste with which the policy was put into effect and in lack of preparation the same

time, Samuelson and Freedman claim that the policy made a key contribution towards

Rwanda’s adaptation to international systems and future development(Samuelson and

Freedman p.202). Likewise OpenICPSR provides information suggesting that despite

initial increases in inequality and problems with learning, the policy had a positive impact

in the long term as people learned to cope with it(OpenICPSR).

The combination of all these perspectives gives a more comprehensive

understanding of the effects of this policy. The change from one language to anotherresulted in both favorable and unfavorable consequences, depending on the period of time

during which it was considered. Initially, the inability of both teachers and students to

speak English became a major obstacle to proper instruction and learning processes,

leading to poor academic results. But in the long run, this policy could help open up new

opportunities for students, making them capable of succeeding in an increasingly

globalized world, thus contributing positively to Rwanda’s development and integration

into the international community.

From a critical perspective, one might say that the problem with the reform did not

lie in the introduction of English, but in its execution. The government could have used an

incremental approach to reforming the educational system along with allocating resources

and developing programs for teaching English through the curriculum, teacher training and

additional materials. The lack of preparation and support for teachers and students could

lead to poor results among students as well as less successful processes in general. The

process of changing languages and introducing new subjects into the curriculum requires

meticulous preparation from the government. However, the policy has more complex

implications involving language, power and identity within society. According to

Samuelson and Freedman, language policy may either affirm existing social stratifications

or contest them, thereby contributing to further inequality between students based on their

different language skills(Samuelson and Freedman p.205). With the introduction of

English as the medium of instruction, Rwanda managed to change not only its educational

policy but also its cultural and linguistic orientation in a global context. On the one hand,

this contributed to the strengthening of relations between Rwanda and the rest of the

world, however, it also resulted in the emergence of a number of new inequalities,especially when it comes to disadvantaged students without an opportunity to learn

English .

All in all, the change made by Rwanda from French to English as the language of

instruction in 2008 affected secondary students in a variety of ways. On one hand, the

policy proved to be successful since it allowed Rwanda to fit into an international

landscape, thus giving students new prospects and boosting the country’s competitiveness

on the global market. However, the abrupt transition to the English language of instruction

posed several threats for the quality of education in the initial stages. In this regard, poor

academic outcomes could be explained by the low level of proficiency of both educators

and students. Consequently, through exploring various perspectives, it becomes possible to

draw conclusions concerning the dual nature of this issue.Works cited

Samuelson, Beth Lewis, and Sarah Warshauer Freedman.

“Language Policy, Multilingual

Education, and Power in Rwanda.

”Language Policy, vol. 9, no. 3, 2010, pp. 191–215, doi:

10.1007/s10993-010-9170-7

Pearson, Barbara.

”Policy without a Plan: English as a Medium of Instruction in Rwanda.

”Current Issues

in Language Planning, vol. 14, no. 1, 2013, pp. 39–56,doi:10.1080/14664208.2013.85728.

Uwizeyimana, Emmanuel.

“English Immersion in the Rwandan Secondary Educational

System:Challenges and Ways Forward.

”International Journal of Current Advanced

Research, vol. 6, no. 7, 2019.

Niyibizi, Eric.

“The Effects of Using English as a Medium of Instruction on School Performance: A Case

of Secondary Schools in Nyarugenge District, Rwanda.

” African Journal of Empirical Research,

vol. 6, no. 2, Apr. 2025, pp.42-57, doi:10,51867/ajernet.6.2.4.

OpenICPSR.

“Rwanda

’

s English Language Reform Effects Study.

Political and Social Research, 2023.

”Inter-university Consortium for

The Guardian.

“Rwanda to Switch from French to English in Schools.

”

14 Oct. 2008.

McGreal, Chris.

“Rwanda to Switch from French to English in Schools.

” The Guardian, 14 Oct. 2008.