1. Project Overview
The Zero Out-of-School Children (Zero OOSC) project is a national initiative in Rwanda aimed at reintegrating approximately 177,000 children into the education system. A critical component of this mission is the KARAME App, the official mobile application for the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC). It is designed to provide real-time data to educators to ensure student retention and prevent dropouts through digital attendance management.
2. Project Goals
- Reintegration & Retention: Support the national goal of ensuring every child is in school and thriving.
- Digital Transformation: Replace manual attendance processes with a streamlined digital solution for school staff.
- Early Warning System: Utilize attendance patterns to identify and support students at risk of dropping out before they leave the system.
- Data Integration: Ensure local school data is securely synchronized with national education databases.
3. Technical Features
- Real-Time Attendance Tracking: Allows headteachers and teachers to record and monitor student presence instantaneously.
- Offline-First Functionality: Designed to operate in areas with limited connectivity; data is stored locally on the device and automatically syncs once an internet connection is established.
- Secure Data Synchronization: Facilitates encrypted data transfer to the national education server to maintain data integrity and security.
- Mobile-Centric Design: Optimized for the Google Play Store to ensure accessibility for authorized school staff on mobile devices.
4. Stakeholders & Partnership Ecosystem
The project is a collaborative effort between government bodies, international foundations, and technical implementation partners:
| Stakeholder | Role |
| Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) | Project owner, providing strategic direction and national oversight. |
| Education Above All (EAA) Foundation | Primary project partner and supporter of the Zero OOSC mission. |
| Save the Children Rwanda | Visionary lead and coordinating partner for project execution. |
| Waliku Team | Project management leadership and coordination. |
| HISP Rwanda | Local implementation partner responsible for system deployment and field support. |
| HISP Mozambique (Saudigitus) | Principal technical developer of the software ecosystem. |
5. Target Users
- Primary Users: Classroom teachers responsible for daily attendance.
- Administrative Users: Headteachers overseeing school-wide attendance trends and reporting.
- System Administrators: MINEDUC officials managing national education data.
6. Current Status
- Deployment: The application is officially live and available on the Google Play Store.
- Impact: Currently supporting the monitoring of 177,000 reintegrated students across Rwanda.