Members of the RENCP and Development Partners gather for a photo at the General Assembly in September 2011
Rwanda NGO Education Coordination Platform (RENCP) was founded by a coalition of non-governmental organizations in Rwanda in 2009; however, it was officially launched by the Permanent Secretary in Ministry of education in June 2010. Since its inception, the Netherland Development Agency (SNV) was the first chair as Plan Rwanda co-chaired the organization until June 2011. A year later, the vote of the majority entrusted Plan International Rwanda with the responsibility of chairing RENCP for the financial year ending June 30th 2012 while Wellspring Foundation for Education was voted as co-chair. RENCP, as a voluntary organization, serves as a channel for all International NGOs having their program activities in education. However, this platform also hosts the umbrella of local non-governmental organizations. The main objective of our existence is a coordinated NGO community within the education sector in collaboration with other development partners, donors and multilateral agencies supporting the education sector in Rwanda. RENCP’s mandate is to serve as a body for NGO representation, information sharing as well as coordination and this is made possible through assigning representatives of the RENCP to important forums such as the Education Cooperating Partners Group and the Joint Reviews of the Education Sector in Rwanda. As a result of our platform, NGOs now have the opportunity to contribute to policy development and increasing accountability within the sector.
Because of member differences in terms of interventions, we have strengthened the purpose of the platform by creating working groups including: in-service teacher training, equity and inclusion, community involvement, and Early Childhood Care and Development. Each working group has a lead organization which takes the major role of coordinating other member organizations interested in becoming members of that particular working group.
RENCP organizes a General Assembly on a quarterly basis to bring to light what these working groups have achieved. At the same time, the chairing and co-chairing organizations attend several meetings organized by the Ministry of Education and/or other education partners and the feedbacks are thereafter shared with the General Assembly. This coordinated platform brings on the table the value of information sharing and representation in the core meetings of the Ministry of Education.
Plan Rwanda is committed to supporting the platform grow and fully realize their mandate. During this term of office as a chair, we will host and support the General Assembly, attend meetings hosted by other member organization, represent the Platform or delegate members to core meetings by the Ministry of Education and we shall give necessary support to working groups where possible. We look forward to a strategic plan that will highlight two to three things that the Platform should excel in doing.
We are all fully aware that we are working towards contributing to the development of quality education system that benefits the Rwandan people. We proudly thank Wellspring Foundation for the management and constant update of the platform website, which is our major center of interaction.
Together we build Rwanda, together improve the quality of education in Rwanda!!
Sincerely,
Plan international Rwanda
On behalf of the RENCP member organizations
The Rwanda Education NGO Coordination Platform is supported by UNICEF. Members of the RENCP would like to thank UNICEF for funding the initial work plan. To find out more about UNICEF’s activities in Rwanda, visit their website here.