Teachers’ Classroom Practices and Students’ Learning Competences in Public Secondary Schools in Rwanda.

This study investigated teachers’ classroom practices and students’ learning competences in public secondary schools in Rwanda, a case study of Bugesera district. Three specific objectives guided the study; these include identifying teachers’ classroom practices competences in public secondary schools in Bugesera district, assessing the effect of teachers’ classroom practices on students’ learning competences in public secondary schools in Bugesera district, and establishing the relationship between teachers’ classroom practices students’ learning competences in public secondary schools in Bugesera district. The study is a mixed research design encompassing both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data were collected by using self-designed questionnaire while qualitative data were gathered employing interview guide and classroom observation. The target population encompassed 1127 participants including 950 students, 167 teachers, 5 Director of studies and 5 headteachers from five public secondary schools in Bugesera district. Random sampling techniques were used to obtain the sample population. Data was analyzed using Microsoft excel and Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS). Data presentation was achieved through charts and tabulation methods. Finally, the relationship between teachers’ classroom practices and students’ learning competences was established with the help of output of descriptive statistics and inferential statistics including Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation (r). The findings revealed significant insights into participants\' perceptions of educational practices related to communication of learning objectives, experiential learning, instructional materials, student engagement, and the use of homemade learning materials, and indicated a significant relationship between variables (r = .967, p =.000). The findings can help curriculum designers and implementers, and educational stakeholders as well. Pre-service and in-service teachers can deeply understand the relationship between teachers’ classroom practices and students’ learning competences, which in turn could improve learning outcomes in Rwandan secondary schools. Keywords: Classroom practices, learning competences, instructional strategy, secondary school