A thin mist lingered over the classrooms at 7:30 a.m., but inside Room 4, the atmosphere buzzed with excitement. The soft hum of a laptop filled the space, along with the chatter of children discovering something new. On the far wall, a projector displayed a map of Rwanda’s wetlands. Students followed along, pointing at rivers they had only seen on paper.

This is the digital hub at Gisenyi Primary School, a once-simple school on the outskirts of Gisenyi. Until last year, it shared a single, worn geography book between two classes. Now, the same students log in to a national learning platform. They review video lessons and submit short assignments using a tablet.

The change is obvious. Curiosity has replaced shyness on their faces.

“We can actually see the world,” said Claudine Uwase, a Primary 5 pupil, smiling as she described watching a live-streamed lesson about river ecosystems. “Before, it was just the teacher and chalk. Now we use videos and pictures; it makes things easier to understand.”

The hub started as a pilot supported by a local NGO and the district education office. The goal was to remove barriers to quality lessons in rural schools. The pilot provided a solar-powered kit, a laptop, and teacher training in digital lesson planning.

For Headteacher Jean Pierre Uwayezu, the change has been practical and immediate. “Attendance was low during the rainy season,” he explained. “Now parents see their children engaged with technology, and they bring them to school regularly. Our after-school study groups have doubled.”

The program also tackles bigger issues: crowded classrooms, limited textbooks, and uneven teacher distribution. According to a district education officer involved in the pilot, the digital hub isn’t a quick fix for staffing shortages. It’s a resource that helps overworked teachers reach students more effectively and offers a wider range of learning methods. “It lets the teacher guide while digital content supports explanations and shows examples that textbooks cannot,” the officer said.

Education researchers emphasise the importance of matching technology with local needs. Dr Jean Kamali, an education specialist at a Rwandan university, warns against believing that just having hardware will improve results. “Technology must be paired with teacher training and community support,” she said. “The best outcomes happen when schools adjust content to local languages and contexts and when parents take part in learning at home.”

At Gisenyi Primary School, the community response has been positive. Parents now volunteer to fix desks or supervise after-school reading. “We used to think modern learning was only for the city,” noted Emmanuel Gashayija, a father of three. “When we saw the children present their projects about irrigation, we felt proud. They are learning things that can help our farms.”

Sceptics raise questions about sustainability: who will pay to replace expensive equipment, and how will connectivity work in remote areas? The pilot tackled this with locally sourced solar panels and a maintenance fund supported by the NGO and the school's parent-teacher association.

Still, expanding the program is a challenge. The district official says they are negotiating with the Ministry for a long-term plan that includes teacher incentives and a schedule for equipment rotation.

For now, the change is seen in small but valuable improvements. A classroom that once felt stuck with few resources now buzzes with participation. Exams are not the only measure of progress; teachers notice deeper engagement, better oral skills, and students who ask questions beyond the textbook.

Back in Room 4, Claudine finishes her presentation on wetlands. She concludes by reminding her classmates why the lesson is important: “If we save our rivers, we will have water for our farms and clean drinking water for everyone.” The room erupts in applause, not for the device on the desk, but for the idea that learning can be a path to better lives.

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A thin mist hovered over the classrooms at 7:30 a.m., but inside Room 4, the air was alive with something far brighter than morning: the low hum of a laptop, the chatter of children on the brink of a discovery.

At the front, a projector cast an image of Rwanda's wetlands onto the wall, as students followed along - fingers pointed at rivers they'd only ever seen on paper.

Welcome to the digital hub at Gisenyi Primary School – a once-rustic school on the outskirts of Gisenyi that, until last year, shared a single dog-eared geography book between two classes. Today, the same students log in to a national learning platform, review video lessons, and submit short assignments via a tablet.

The change is evident on their faces: timidity has given way to curiosity.

“We can actually see the world,” says Claudine Uwase, a Primary 5 pupil, smiling, as she describes watching a live-streamed lesson about river ecosystems. “Before, it was just the teacher and chalk. Now we use videos and pictures – it makes things easier to understand.”

The hub began as a pilot supported by a local nongovernmental organisation and the district education office with the goal of reducing barriers to quality lessons at rural schools. The pilot provided a solar-powered kit, a laptop, and teacher training in digital lesson planning.

For Headteacher Jean Pierre Uwayezu, the shift has been practical and immediate. “Attendance was low during the rainy season,” he explained. “Now parents see their children engaged with technology, and they bring them to school regularly. Our after-school study groups have doubled.”

Beyond the glow of the classroom, the program aims to tackle deeper problems: crowded classrooms, a lack of textbooks, and unequal distribution of teachers. According to a district education officer who helped launch the pilot, the digital hub is not a quick fix to staffing shortages but rather one that helps overburdened teachers reach students more effectively while using different learning methods. “It lets the teacher be a guide while digital content supports explanations and shows examples that textbooks cannot,” said the officer.

Education researchers say the approach matters most when technology fits the local realities. Dr Jean Kamali, an education specialist at a Rwandan university, warns against assuming hardware alone will improve results. "Technology must be paired with teacher training and community ownership," she said. "The best outcomes are where schools adapt content to local language and context, and where parents are involved in supporting learning at home."

At Gisenyi Primary School, the community response has been encouraging. Parents now volunteer to repair desks or supervise after-school reading. “We used to think modern learning was only for the city,” said Emmanuel Gashayija, a father of three. “When we saw the children present their projects about irrigation, we felt proud. They are learning things that can help our farms.”

Sceptics point to sustainability: who will pay to replace expensive equipment, and how will connectivity work in remote areas? The pilot addressed that with locally sourced solar panels and a maintenance fund contributed to by the NGO and the school’s parent-teacher association.

Still, scaling up remains a challenge. The district official says they are in talks with the Ministry to seek out a long-term plan that incorporates teachers' incentives as well as a scheduled rotation of equipment.

For now, the change is measured in small but meaningful gains: a classroom that once felt resigned to limited resources now hums with participation. Exams are not the only measure here, and the teachers report deeper engagement, better oral skills, and students who ask questions that go beyond the textbook.

Back in Room 4, Claudine concludes her wetlands presentation. She ends by reminding her classmates why the lesson matters: “If we save our rivers, we will have water for our farms and clean drinking water for everyone.” The room erupts in applause — not for the device on the desk, but for the idea that learning can be a bridge to better lives.