Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, Star School has grown from its 2008 opening with 45 pupils to educating more than 800 children across our nursery, primary, and secondary programs.
Your sponsorship powers a vibrant learning community where children can live, learn, and dream.
• A full-service campus: Star School offers dormitories, a library, a computer lab, a science laboratory, a working farm and greenhouse, plus a soccer field, volleyball and basketball courts, and after-school music and dance clubs.
• Why sponsorship matters: In Rwanda, public schools are scarce and even “nominal” fees keep the poorest children out of the classroom. While some families can pay tuition, about 200 Star School students attend only because generous sponsors cover their costs—and more than 300 children are still waiting for that same chance.
• Who you help: Sponsored students come from the most vulnerable backgrounds—orphans, former street children, sons and daughters of single mothers, day laborers, and families with no reliable income. Your monthly gift provides a safe dorm room, nutritious meals, clothing, medical care, and a world-class education.
Star School operates under Rwanda Shines, a registered 501(c)(3) based in San Antonio, Texas, dedicated to equipping local leaders and uplifting communities across Rwanda. Join us in sponsoring a student and transforming a life today.
the rwandan school system
Nursery: This is a 3-year program that generally begins around 3 years old, whenever the child is able to walk to school by his/herself, or at what age parent were able to afford school fees. Nursery is further broken down to “Babies”, or Nursery 1, “middle class”, or Nursery 2, and “Top Nursery” or Nursery 3.
Primary: After graduating from Nursery the students then enter Primary, which is much like our American Elementary. Primary is 6 years of school and is named much like Nursery- Primary 1, Primary 2, and so forth.
Secondary: After Primary the students enter their last 6 years of schooling: Secondary. Secondary is similar to high school, and is named — you guessed it — Secondary 1, Secondary 2, and on it goes. These years are critical to our students as their grades and study habits will determine the universities they will be able to attend and the careers they will pursue.
University: University is very similar to other universities around the world and time spent on their degrees will vary on which country they are pursuing them in and what specialties they will go into. It is common for students with the means to do so to travel out of country to obtain higher education.
Different from the age-based American school system, Rwandan children advance purely on intellect. If they cannot pass their exams and exhibit ample understanding of the skills taught that year, they are not allowed to progress to the next year and must repeat the year. We see this concept in the American system, as everyone is required to start kindergarten by age 5 or 6. The difference, though, is when a 7 year old begins schooling for the first time in Rwanda, maybe due to the inability of his family to cover school fees, he must begin at Nursery 1 and work his way up.
Rwandan students learn math, English, French, Kinyarwanda, Rwandan history, world history, and science. Since many of our student’s parents are illiterate or very limited in their literacy, most have not been read books growing up. Over the past few years we have begun building a library that students can use and even rent books from so they can learn the importance and joy of reading!
