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Learning through Play

Developing a national strategy to integrate Learning through Play pedagogy across schools in Rwanda

The challenge

In Rwanda, the pre-primary education net enrolment rate in 2021 had reached just 24% (Ministry of Education, Education Statistical Yearbook, 2022). Whilst this was up from 13% a decade prior, it was still far from the Ministry of Education’s target of 45% by 2024. UNICEF Rwanda analysis suggested that overcrowded classrooms and limited play materials were profound obstacles to reaching this target.

Learning through Play is a vital component of child development, fostering essential skills and competencies. It involves bringing play into the classroom in a way that enables learners to meet learning objectives, make progress, and actively engage in their learning – setting the foundation for lifelong learning.

Rwanda’s Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) and the Rwanda Basic Education Board (REB) had invested significantly in a shift from a knowledge-based education system to a competency-based curriculum, drawing on a number of active learning approaches including Learning through Play.

Research on Learning through Play


The LEGO Foundation’s White Paper on Learning through Play in School (2019) states that “play is educational when it is joyful, meaningful, actively engaging, iterative, and socially interactive” (Zosh et al., 2017).

Our solution

We supported the MINEDUC to develop a national strategy and framework to guide the institutionalisation of Learning through Play approaches in the delivery of teacher training (pre-service and in-service), as well as teaching and learning in schools. This work was funded by IEE Rwanda and UNICEF to support P1-P6 learners in Rwanda.

The purpose of developing a framework was to raise awareness and advocate for the integration of Learning through Play approaches in all schools, across basic education. As such, equipping teachers with the necessary skills to integrate Learning through Play into their teaching methodologies was a top priority.

Following extensive research conducted on current Learning through Play practices in schools including lesson observations and focus group discussions, we co-created a series of teacher development outputs with MINEDUC and REB. These included:

  • Learning through Play resource videos for use in the classroom
  • an overview paper for teachers and education stakeholders outlining the importance of, and research behind, Learning through Play
  • a games compendium for teachers to refer to when planning lessons.

Our impact

The framework that we created was approved and operationalised in 2025. This is set to impact the learning of 1.2 million children across Rwanda.

“I truly appreciate your exceptional efforts on the LtP Strategy, LtP Framework, CPD Framework and LtP sustainability pieces with IEE. It has been a privilege to work with you; your technical expertise, professionalism, and genuine human touch have greatly enriched this collaboration.”

- UNICEF Rwanda