From Ideas to Action - A Roundtable Toward the Fun Learning Declaration

Dr Rose Baguma, Head of Education Policy Department at Mineduc discussing Policy’s role in implementing Fun Learning.

How policymakers, teacher educators, and researchers joined forces to make joyful learning a lived reality

On October 15th, 2025, something remarkable happened in KIgali, Rwanda.
Leaders from policy, teacher training, and education research gathered in the same room to unite around a shared purpose: ensuring that every child has the right to joyful, meaningful learning.

This Roundtable was not just a meeting. It was a turning point.
The goal: to shape the Fun Learning Declaration, a collective commitment to transform learning environments so children can grow with curiosity, confidence, and emotional safety.

The participants gathered together invited by the Education MInistry of Rwanda (Mineduc), hosted by the Rwandan Education Board (REB). We enjoyed the company of the National Child Development Agency (NCDA), Unicef, the University of Rwanda, the Catholic University of Rwanda, the University of Helsinki, the Texas A&M International University, the Imanzi City of Main School, and The Campus Company Rwanda/Finland.

Why now?

Sadly, we are still struggling to offer high quality early childhood education and care to all children. And on the other hand, across the world, we see children under pressure; tested early, rushed through content, expected to perform before they are ready. The Roundtable began with a simple and bold reminder:

Fun Learning is about how children learn, not what they learn.
When learning is joyful, children thrive.

The Reason we all joined the Roundtable: A happy childhood for all.

Kids from Imanzi Kindergarten & School engaging in small group work.

The shift from theory to action is already in motion. The Declaration will state the obvious: that joyful learning becomes a right, not a privilege. That learning in a positive and supportive atmosphere is, in fact, effective and a right of the child.

Three Voices, One Mission

To bring lasting change, the meeting explored Fun Learning from three perspectives, each essential, each responsible for a different part of the puzzle. During the Roundtable we broke into groups focusing on the mandates of the three essential domains of Policy, Teacher Training, and Research.

Policy “Makes Possible”

This group of experts was gathered to discuss how systems support teachers instead of restricting them. Policymakers and ministry partners examined existing and novel ways to:

• build trust and flexibility in schools

• include play, curiosity, and well-being in quality standards

• ensure equity, meaning allowing joyful learning for all children

The message was clear: policy can unlock innovation and support professional development at all stages of teacher development.

Teacher Training to “Support & Contextualize”

Another group focused on supporting teachers in their professional development. Educators are the daily champions of education, and Fun Learning, and so experts in teacher development discussed how training should:

• connect theory to classroom reality

• nurture teacher confidence and creativity

• value the context of local languages, cultures, and community strengths

Teachers don’t just implement, they bring Fun Learning to life, they are the change agents, they are the heart of education systems.

The Research Group was lead by Professor James O’Meara of TAMIU.

Research to “Prove & Improve”

Evidence matters. Our researcher participants explored ways to document learning experiences, progress, and alignment with national and individual objectives:

• flexible methods that honor teachers’s and children’s voices

• feedback loops between classrooms and policymakers

• ways to create supporting research ecosystems and funding

Research will ensure the movement grows stronger over time.

What united the room?

Despite diverse roles, every participant shared one belief:

Children deserve joyful learning. Everywhere, every day. The commitment to work together for a bright future for the children was unanimous.

The atmosphere throughout the day was collaborative, hopeful, and practical. By the end of the Roundtable, the groups had drafted key statements to guide the finalizing of the Fun Learning Declaration: expressing the will to support teachers in schools, students in training centers, and alignment with national strategies; aligned with and guided by research.

Where do we go from here?

The Roundtable concluded by looking ahead to the Kigali Fun Learning Conference in March 2026 where the Declaration will not simply be presented.

It will be activated, through:

• classroom innovation workshops for teachers

• collaborative policy and research sessions

• commitments to scale Fun Learning across regions and countries

This is part of a learning future that children can feel while learning with joy, guided by curiosity, and building confidence and belief in their ability to learn throughout life.

A moment worth remembering

Small Group work discussing the role of teacher training with members of REB, Mineduc, Imanzi School, the Campus Company, and National University of Rwanda.

This Roundtable was a remarkable session for us attendees as we discussed the themes in the sub groups of policy, teacher training, and research. We came together to  talk practically about how to move between these domains
from ideas → to action
from inspiration → to implementation
from scattered efforts → to a shared movement.

The Fun Learning Declaration will not be just a document. It is a promise; to every child, every teacher, and every community.

A promise that learning can and should be enjoyed.

We’re together committed to building the practical systems to make it real.