The Liquidnet Family High School (LNFHS) is located at the highest point in the Village; we view education as the most important way for our kids to break out from the cycle of poverty and trauma and to become productive members of Rwandan society. Every weekday at 6:45, thirty minutes before school starts, you can find kids climbing up to the school. At 7:15 they meet their teachers for fifteen minutes of homeroom discussions, where they share expectations for the coming school day, and at 7:30 the first lesson begins.
When you ask our students what the difference is between our school and the schools they attended in the past, they often say, “At the LNF High, the teachers ask us what we think, not only what we know.”
The school philosophy is based upon a concept that was developed by Professor Reuven Feuerstein, the founder of the Israeli Center for the Enhancement of Learning Potential. Professor Feuerstein believes that every person, at any age, can enhance his/her cognitive abilities, and it is the obligation of the educators to give the students tools to reach their full aptitude. Our teachers went through extensive training and learned how to make the best use of the methods and tools presented by the ICELP. Using these tools, students are able to generate meaning on their own and become independent and lifelong learners. One of the most common phrases you hear students say when asked a question is, “Just a moment, let me think.”
Enrichment Year: Because our students come from different backgrounds and have attending a variety of schools in the past, when they enter the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village, their first year is an “Enrichment Year,” where they review material learned in Senior 1, 2, and 3. The goals of the enrichment year are to restore the love of learning, to develop better learning habits, and to prepare the students for high-school level studies in English, since many of them had previously attended school in either French or Kinyarwanda. (All high school classes in the country are now conducted in English due to a change in law in 2008.) The subjects that we teach in the enrichment year are: English, IT (Information Technology/ Basic Computers), IE (Instrumental Enrichment, from the Feuerstein Institute), Math, Kinyarwanda, French, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, and History. We have five different classes of 25 students each; each class has a homeroom teacher who is responsible not only for the academic performance of the students but also for their emotional well-being.
Combinations: After the students complete the enrichment year, they choose a focus for their studies for the rest of high school. This structure is common to every Rwandan high school. The combinations offered at LNFHS are:
- Physics – Computer Science – Math
- Biology – Chemistry – Math
- Math – Economics – Computers
- Math – Economics – Geography
- History – Economics – Geography
- Kinyarwanda – English – French
In addition to the subjects of their combination, students also take English, Instrumental Enrichment, Entrepreneurship, French, and General Paper (research and writing).
LNFHS Staff: Our teaching staff is dynamic and strongly believe in creating a learning environment in which the student is at the center. The teachers are committed to the Village philosophy and play a major role in instilling the core values of Agahozo-Shalom. In order to achieve our goals of inspiring students to become independent learners and critical thinkers, we have several different forums that allow us to constantly plan, communicate to the staff, and assess our programs such as homeroom teachers’ meetings, which take place every other week, and the Pedagogical Meeting that happens every other week and includes all teachers and administrators.
The School Administration meets weekly to assess the school in terms of administration and pedagogy. This team consists of the school principal, the vice principal/academic director, two service corps volunteers-the school advisor and the administrative assistant-as well as the deputy village director.
The Academic Departments: meet weekly to discuss pedagogy and specific needs of teachers and students in the following departments.
Sciences Department Chemistry, Math, Biology, Physics, and Computers
Languages Department: English, Kinyarwanda, and French
Social Sciences Department: History, Geography, General paper, Economics and Entrepreneurship
The other forums for communication and planning are the Homeroom Teachers’ meetings, which take place every other week, and the Pedagogical Meeting that happens every other week and includes all teachers and administrators.
Science Labs:The Liquidnet Family High School has four fully equipped labs, enabling hands-on experience and practical learning. Our computer lab has 30 computers and is open outside of class hours for the students to practice their computer skills, work on papers and homework, or just relax and communicate on email or browse the web. We also have a state-of-the-art Science Center in which kids can continue scientific exploration in the after-school Enrichment Program format, allowing them to freely investigate a host of subjects including mechanical engineering, digital electronics and optics.
