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WILL PRIVATE SCHOOLS RISE FROM THE COVID-19 TOMB? ANALYSIS OF A

RWANDAN CONTEXT OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS WITH THEIR ECONOMIES IN THE
AFTERMATH OF COVID-19

Article in Academia Letters · March 2021

DOI: 10.20935/AL555

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 ACADEMIA Letters
WILL PRIVATE SCHOOLS RISE FROM THE COVID-19
TOMB? ANALYSIS OF A RWANDAN CONTEXT OF
PRIVATE SCHOOLS WITH THEIR ECONOMIES IN
THE AFTERMATH OF COVID-19
Ben Alexandre Mpozembizi

ABSTRACT
Most governments around the world have temporarily closed educational institutions in an
attempt to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. These nationwide closures are im-
pacting lots of the world’s student population not forgetting their respective schools especially
the private ones. Therefore, many effects are obviously observed. School closures carry high
social and economic costs for people across communities. Their impact however is particu-
larly severe for the most vulnerable and marginalized boys and girls and their families. The
resulting disruptions exacerbate already existing disparities within the education system but
also in other aspects of their lives. Here we can mention the following consequences: inter-
rupted learning where schooling provides essential learning and when schools close, children
and youth are deprived opportunities for growth and development. The disadvantages are dis-
proportionate for underprivileged learners who tend to have fewer educational opportunities
beyond school. Secondly, poor nutrition can be another impact. Many children and youth
rely on free or discounted meals provided at schools for food and healthy nutrition (school
feeding program in Rwanda). When schools are close, nutrition is compromised. Thirdly,
confusion and stress for teachers rises. When schools close, especially unexpectedly and for
unknown durations, teachers are often unsure of their obligations and how to maintain con-

Academia Letters, April 2021 ©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0

Corresponding Author: Ben Alexandre Mpozembizi, alemponib55@gmail.com

Citation: Mpozembizi, B.A. (2021). WILL PRIVATE SCHOOLS RISE FROM THE COVID-19 TOMB?
ANALYSIS OF A RWANDAN CONTEXT OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS WITH THEIR ECONOMIES IN THE
AFTERMATH OF COVID-19. Academia Letters, Article 555. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL555.
1
nections with students to support learning. Transitions to distance learning platforms tend
to be messy and frustration, even in the best circumstances. In many contexts, school clo-
sures lead to furloughs or separations for teachers. Fourthly, social isolation and challenges
measuring and validating learning are also challenging. Schools are hubs of social activity
and human interaction. When schools close, many children and youth miss out of essential
to learning and development. Besides, calendared assessments notably high-stakes examina-
tions that determine admission or advancement to new education levels and institutions, are
thrown into disarray when schools close. To sum up, school closures due to Covid-19 widen
learning inequalities and hurt vulnerable children and youth disproportionately not forgetting
schools and institutions.

Introduction
Education in Rwanda and around the world has been heavily disrupted by the COVID-19
pandemic. All schools in Rwanda have been closed since March 2020 to try to curb the spread
of the virus. There is not yet a date for when schools will re-open, though there are plans to
change the school calendar from January – November to September – June.
We cannot ignore that in Rwanda, there are almost 253 private primary and secondary
schools and 22 higher learning institutions.
Therefore, all private schools depend on school fees provided by parents. We cannot
ignore the shutdown of countries economy which entails the fall in all sectors including edu-
cation.
Henceforth, our main problem is to anticipate different ways those private schools will
rise from that fall so as to continue surviving.
How did this issue begin?
At the beginning, Rwanda suspended the morning assembly at school to fight against
Corona virus or Covid-19. The Ministry of education released those new instructions that
went in line with the fight of corona virus outbreak.
As more cases were confirmed, Rwanda took several measures to curb the spread of the
novel Corona virus as the number of confirmed cases rose to 11 since March 14, when the
first case was announced.
At Midnight March 20 and it suspended arriving and departing commercial flights for an
initial period of 30 days which also affected national carrier Rwandair.
Initially, the government announced the temporally shutdown of schools, universities and
places of worship for two weeks amid concerns about the spread of Covid-19

Academia Letters, April 2021 ©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0

Corresponding Author: Ben Alexandre Mpozembizi, alemponib55@gmail.com

Citation: Mpozembizi, B.A. (2021). WILL PRIVATE SCHOOLS RISE FROM THE COVID-19 TOMB?
ANALYSIS OF A RWANDAN CONTEXT OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS WITH THEIR ECONOMIES IN THE
AFTERMATH OF COVID-19. Academia Letters, Article 555. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL555.
2
WORLD WIDE VERSUS RWANDAN CONTEXT ON COVID-19
EFFECT IN EDUCATION
• General measures to be taken for catering learners

As announced by UNICEF, with Covid-19 more than 95% of children are out of school
in Latin America and the Caribbean. About 90% of early childhood centres and pre-primary,
primary and secondary schools will stay closed for the next few days or weeks and this per-
centage is quickly growing. This situation, which could last longer than initially planned,
increases the risk of permanent drop out, especially for the most vulnerable children (https://
en.unicef.org/covid-19).
Therefore, it is urgent to take measures to avoid the interruption of education and guarantee
access to continue and flexible distance learning modalities for all children at home including
those without internet access or living with disability.
In Rwanda, Rwanda Education Board (REB) in collaboration with UNICEF started the
radio programme to be broadcasted on various radio stations (public or private) which will
facilitate primary students to continue following lessons being at their respective homes.

• Private schools likely to fold as a result of the Covid-19 crisis

How do Covid-19 private school closures impact all students not forgetting their respective
schools?
Some private schools ‘owners predicted the financially collapse of their schools of the
closures in this year. One chief executive of the independent secondary school in Southern
province of Rwanda (Ruhango district), affirmed that the vast majority of schools do not have
huge reserves. He added that many schools cater their staff, teachers and all casual workers
from what they gain from their students. “Some [schools] are concerned obviously that some
parents may not pay fees for the next term due to poverty from COVID-19,” he told.
According to ExcelinEd,org, there are currently over 5.7 million students enrolled in pri-
vate schools in the U.S. –totaling 10% of the K-12 student population. Private schools serve a
wide range of students, with many dedicating themselves to serving low-and middle-income
communities. These schools do this by offering scholarships and other forms of financial aid
and sometimes operating at a deficit so they can serve any student who applies.
Like their public-school counterparts, private schools are also experiencing disruption in
the time of COVID-19. While some won’t feel the financial pain that comes with an economic
recession until the fall, the struggle has already begun for many. During times of economic
downturn, private schools are historically at risk of closure. A flood of private school students

Academia Letters, April 2021 ©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0

Corresponding Author: Ben Alexandre Mpozembizi, alemponib55@gmail.com

Citation: Mpozembizi, B.A. (2021). WILL PRIVATE SCHOOLS RISE FROM THE COVID-19 TOMB?
ANALYSIS OF A RWANDAN CONTEXT OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS WITH THEIR ECONOMIES IN THE
AFTERMATH OF COVID-19. Academia Letters, Article 555. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL555.
3
returning to public schools could overwhelm-even cripple- public schools as they struggle to
recover from the crisis.

EXPECTED CHALLENGES AND CONSEQUENCES IN EDU-

CATION DUE TO COVID-19
Firstly, not only will private school be affected but also public schools due to Covid-19. Pub-
lic schools rely upon revenue from federal, state and local sources and different states have
different formulas for determining the amount of state and local funding that contributes to
overall per-pupil spending. This is the case for Rwanda where government distribute some
amount of money to each pupil in primary school and secondary school for school feeding.
Private schools on the other hand, charge tuition to meet operational expenses. In states
with private schools choice programs, students can use government fund to pay for all or part
of their tuition, but even then, most schools rely on some families to pay tuition out-of- pocket.
So, when states closed schools to slow the spread of COVID-19, private schools began to lose
the revenue that will enable them to re-open in the fall.
We can ask ourselves why. Families who have lost jobs or taken pay-cuts may not be able
to pay tuition for the remainder of the 2020 school year. Most likely, they will opt to not re-
enroll in the private school for the next term. For Rwandan context, I assume that they will
attend 9 or 12 years basic education schools (9&12 YBE).
Declines in private school revenue, both current and future, will be compounded because
many schools depend on philanthropy to cover costs that tuition alone cannot meet. Donations
from individuals, corporations and even large foundations decrease in times of economic un-
certainty. Besides, faith-based schools associated with churches have already forfeited funds
that comes from charitable donations collected at church services each week.
Therefore, with Covid-19 we anticipate the following swift and serious consequences to
private schools:

• Students will suffer from an abrupt disruption in learning as they transfer as they transfer
from schools they chose to new school environments.

• Private schools or higher learning institutions will have to absorb hundreds of thousands-
perhaps millions-of students who can no longer afford to pay tuition or have seen their
schools close. This will come exactly at a time when this Covid-19 last longer than
expected.

Academia Letters, April 2021 ©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0

Corresponding Author: Ben Alexandre Mpozembizi, alemponib55@gmail.com

Citation: Mpozembizi, B.A. (2021). WILL PRIVATE SCHOOLS RISE FROM THE COVID-19 TOMB?
ANALYSIS OF A RWANDAN CONTEXT OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS WITH THEIR ECONOMIES IN THE
AFTERMATH OF COVID-19. Academia Letters, Article 555. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL555.
4
 • Some teachers or lecturers will lose their jobs as many of them are suspended from their
current work of teaching.

HOW CAN WE PREVENT PRIVATE SCHOOLS FROM CLOS-

ING DUE TO COVID-19?
There are ways to mitigate the risks of private school closures.

• A forgivable loan that private schools can use to make payroll, rent, mortgage interest
or utilities payments can be provided to those schools. Private schools can be eligible to
be supported by the government. The support to private schools, especially those that
serve concentrations of low-and middle-income students is needed.

• Any fund allocated to private schools should be flexible enough to support both students
and teachers. Besides, everything from tuition support and relief to teacher training in
distance education should be possible.

• Provide tax-credits to parents who continue making tuition payments to private schools
during extended school closures

References
https://inews.co.uk/news/education/coronavirus-in-the-uk-private-schools-2517000?amp

https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/covid-19-more-95 -percent-of-children-are-out-of-school

https://www.newtimes.co.rw/lifestyle/covid-19

https://en.unesco.org/covid-19/educationresponse

Academia Letters, April 2021 ©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0

Corresponding Author: Ben Alexandre Mpozembizi, alemponib55@gmail.com

Citation: Mpozembizi, B.A. (2021). WILL PRIVATE SCHOOLS RISE FROM THE COVID-19 TOMB?
ANALYSIS OF A RWANDAN CONTEXT OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS WITH THEIR ECONOMIES IN THE
AFTERMATH OF COVID-19. Academia Letters, Article 555. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL555.
5

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