TSPU’s Education Centres in Kenya and Rwanda Continue Their Work

Open Education Centres run by Tomsk State Pedagogical University (TSPU) in Kenya and Rwanda continue to offer educational programmes in Russian. The latest stage of the centres’ work included language classes, cultural activities and opportunities for students to explore Russian culture. The project is implemented by the My History Foundation in cooperation with TSPU, with support from the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation.



In Rwanda, Vera Golubeva, Deputy Director of TSPU’s Institute of Foreign Languages and International Cooperation, taught an additional educational programme titled Fundamentals of the Russian Language and Culture. The classes focused on developing language skills and introducing students to Russian culture and traditions.

According to Golubeva, many students are learning Russian with the intention to continue their education in Russia.

«This year, all the students were highly motivated to learn Russian. Many began studying the language because they plan to apply to Russian universities. Having a clear goal is always a great help in class. Some Rwandan students had considerable difficulty pronouncing the Russian “р” sound, which has no equivalent in their native language, Kinyarwanda. We first used cotton swabs to help them produce the sound, then practised it with tongue twisters. As a result, almost all the students learned to pronounce this challenging sound», — Golubeva said.

Russian songs were also part of the program. According to the teacher, Rwandan students love singing, and making music was another way to introduce them to the Russian language. This year, they learned the song “And in Africa, the Rivers…” from the Russian version of Little Red Riding Hood, which proved particularly popular.

The course concluded with a formal ceremony at which certificates were presented. The ceremony was attended by Alexander Polyakov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Rwanda, and Consul Alexander Sizov.

A cultural program has been incorporated into the language classes. One of the events was a workshop titled «Russian Folk Crafts in Rwanda: Bringing Traditions to Life Through Colour». Participants learned about the distinctive features of Khokhloma, Gzhel and Zhostovo painting, explored the symbolism of their patterns and discovered traditional techniques. They then had the opportunity to try their hand at decorating wooden figures.

In Kenya, Elena Danekina, a teacher at TSPU’s Institute of Foreign Languages and International Cooperation, delivered an additional educational programme titled «Russian for Tourism». During the course, students used learning materials and modern educational technologies, developed their Russian communication skills and explored Russian culture.

As part of the educational and cultural programme in Kenya, participants attended an interactive lecture titled «Russia on Banknotes: Cities and Symbols». They learned about the cities, monuments and other symbols depicted on Russian banknotes.
Elena Danekina praised the Kenyan students’ enthusiasm and their desire to learn more than just the language:

«I am full of admiration for the African students and their motivation to learn Russian. Their thirst for knowledge is astonishing. They do not simply memorise Russian grammar rules mechanically; they strive to understand our country’s mentality, culture and history».

Students from TSPU’s Open Education Centres in Kenya and Rwanda also took part in two Russian language and culture festivals: «Discovering Russia» in Nairobi and «Meet Russia» in Kigali. As part of the festivals, they gave performances in Russian, reciting poems by Russian poets, singing songs and taking part in cultural activities. These events gave them an opportunity to put their language skills into practice and showcase their talents.

The centres’ programmes are continuing under the guidance of teachers from TSPU’s Institute of Foreign Languages and International Cooperation: Sergey Kovylin in Rwanda, and Lyudmila Kolpakova and Maria Ivchenko in Kenya. They will continue delivering educational programmes and teaching Russian throughout November.

The Open Education Centres in Kenya and Rwanda remain active, with more Russian language classes, educational programmes and cultural activities planned for the coming weeks.