Influence of Remedial Education Programme on Lower Primary Students’ Learning Performance in Rwanda: A case of Gakenke District

Abstract

This study examined the influence of the Remedial Education Programme on learning performance among lower primary students in Gakenke District, Rwanda. The research focused on evaluating the program’s effects on academic achievement, teaching methods, and implementation challenges. A total of 263 head teachers and teachers were selected through stratified random sampling from a target population of 765. Data were collected using structured Likert-scale questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS. The findings indicated that remedial education has a positive impact on student performance, with high mean scores for both academic outcomes (M = 4.18, SD = 0.88) and teaching methods (M = 4.22, SD = 0.85). Key implementation challenges identified included limited teaching resources (M = 4.21), high student-teacher ratios, and insufficient teacher training. Parental involvement was also found to be relatively low (M = 4.20). Correlation analysis showed a strong, statistically significant relationship (p < 0.01) between the frequency of remedial sessions and improvements in student outcomes such as test scores (r = 0.989) and classroom participation (r = 0.983). Similar positive correlations were observed with teaching resources, teacher training, and parental engagement. The study concludes that while remedial education positively influences student learning, its success is constrained by logistical and systemic challenges. It recommends enhancing resource provision, improving teacher training, and fostering greater parental involvement to strengthen program outcomes and inform national education strategies.