Author: Wycliffe Nyamasege

The event marked the launch of Cohort 2 of the Pathway Foundations program, an initiative designed to nurture ethical and entrepreneurial leaders dedicated to building Africa’s future.

Drawn from various parts of Rwanda, the new cohort includes a diverse group of young learners, each stepping into a rigorous program that opens doors to global academic and leadership opportunities. Nineteen parents were also in attendance.

“This ceremony is more than just a welcome—it’s the first step in these students’ journey to becoming the leaders Africa needs,” said a representative from ALX Rwanda.

“We’re excited to guide these 200 talented individuals through the Pathway Foundations program and beyond.”

The Pathway program equips students with essential skills for academic excellence, leadership, and career success.

Participants stand a chance to earn scholarships to some of the world’s top universities, including the University of California, Berkeley, Tufts University, Northwestern University, Macalester College, African Leadership University, Sciences Po Bordeaux, Nexford University, Skidmore College, ACity, African Leadership College for Higher Education, Morehouse College, Bates College and the University of Chicago.

Others are Hamilton College, Vanderbilt University, Code University, The School of Entrepreneurship & Technology at Patten University and Richfield Graduate Institute of Technology, among others.

During the event, students were introduced to ALX’s mission of building Africa’s future through ethical leadership. Sessions throughout the day offered an overview of the curriculum, scholarship pathways, and mentorship opportunities.

Alumni from previous cohorts also shared insights from their journeys, encouraging the new students to embrace community and collaboration, with the powerful message that “you go further when you go together.”

Recognising that student success relies on strong support systems, the event included dedicated time for parent engagement. ALX team members emphasised the crucial role parents play in supporting learners throughout their educational journey and ensuring consistent commitment and engagement.

In an engaging team-building exercise dubbed the “Lily Pad Challenge,” students demonstrated leadership, problem-solving, and teamwork skills that are core to the ALX experience.

The event also included an emotional moment where students created personal time capsules, envisioning their future achievements at graduation.

The ceremony concluded with the entire cohort reciting the Pathway Pledge—committing to a life of value, community investment, and representing Africa with dignity and pride.

As their voices rang out in unison, “Together, we are ALX,” the newest members of ALX Rwanda stepped into a journey that promises to redefine their futures and impact the continent.

But what sets China apart is not just the scale, but the strategic positioning of vocational education as an equal and essential pillar to academic education. It is this ecosystem that fuels China’s ability to sustain all industrial categories, an achievement unmatched globally.

At the heart of this transformation is Beijing Polytechnic College, a national model institution that proves what vocational education can and should be. Founded in 1956 and transformed into a higher vocational institution in 1999, BPC is one of the first independently upgraded colleges in the country and is now a leader in China’s Double High Plan, a program aimed at cultivating high-level vocational schools and speciality programs with Chinese characteristics.

With nine teaching departments, a School of International Education, and 34 majors spread across five professional clusters, BPC is home to 6,550 students and 518 faculty members.

A recent visit to BPC reveals not only its modern infrastructure but also the intensity of hands-on learning. In the School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, students were working directly with BYD electric vehicles, diagnosing faults, repairing them, and understanding their systems in a real-world setting.

These aren’t lab simulations—they’re industry-level workshops with real equipment. In the Architecture and Surveying Department, students use drone mapping and laser scanning tools for field data collection. In the Urban Safety Engineering School, disaster response drills are conducted with professional-grade monitoring instruments.

BPC’s success is powered by deep integration with industry. With over 200 enterprise partnerships, including BYD, Siemens, Huawei, and Beijing Construction Engineering Group, the college co-develops curricula, receives donated equipment, and places students into internships that often lead directly to employment.

In fact, a large number of its teaching equipment is donated or co-sponsored by industry, ensuring that students are not only taught what is relevant but trained on the very tools used in the workforce.

BPC independently developed national vocational training standards in automation, information technology, and jewellery design and processing.

BPC’s students spend more than 20 hours per week in hands-on training environments, and graduate employment rates exceed 90 percent, with many hired before they even finish their studies.

As Vice President Gao Shiji remarked during a speech to African and Eastern European media delegates at BPC, “We believe educational cooperation is not just a bridge between civilisations. It is the engine of shared development. We have built a rotating door of mutual growth, where African sunrise meets Beijing’s twilight, and knowledge flows both ways.”

The contrast with much of Africa’s vocational education landscape is sobering. According to UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring Report (2022), less than 20 percent of vocational schools in Sub-Saharan Africa are equipped with modern training facilities.

The World Bank has reported that only 30 percent of African technical institutions include mandatory hands-on training in their curricula. Meanwhile, over 60 percent of employers across the continent say they struggle to find technically proficient graduates for entry-level roles.

Too often, vocational education in Africa is treated as a fallback—a plan B for students who didn’t make it to university. It’s underfunded, disconnected from the private sector, and heavily theoretical. The result is a growing number of diploma holders who lack market-ready skills.

Despite these challenges, there are signs of progress. A handful of African nations are beginning to shift course, with Rwanda leading the way. The country is pioneering reforms through strategic collaborations, including with China.

In Rwanda, the China-Africa Vocational Education Alliance has connected local polytechnics to Chinese institutions like Tianjin Light Industry Vocational College, where students train in robotics, sustainable agriculture, and others.

Now, just two years into the partnership, a growing number of graduates from Rwanda’s St. Joseph Integrated Technical College are securing jobs at local tech startups.

These cases prove that when African governments prioritise vocational training and leverage international partnerships, tangible improvements emerge.

What makes BPC a blueprint for African nations isn’t just its technology or partnerships—it’s the mindset behind them. It recognises that vocational skills are not inferior, but they are essential.

It also proves that when governments invest, when industry partners, and when institutions prioritise relevance over ritual, vocational schools can become engines of innovation, economic resilience, and national pride.

Bongo, 66, and his family arrived in the Angolan capital late Thursday, nearly two years after the end of the Bongo dynasty’s 55-year rule over the oil-rich Central African nation.

The former first family’s release follows discreet diplomatic negotiations between Angolan President João Lourenço and Gabon’s new leader, Brice Oligui Nguema, according to a statement from Angola’s presidency.

Photographs shared on the Angolan presidency’s official Facebook page show Bongo and his family being welcomed at the airport in Luanda.

“The Bongo family has been released and has just arrived in Luanda,” the statement read.

Ali Bongo was placed under house arrest in Libreville immediately following the August 2023 coup, which brought General Nguema, a former head of the presidential guard, to power.

Nguema was sworn in as president for a seven-year term earlier this month after securing nearly 95% of the vote in elections widely seen as consolidating military control.

Bongo’s wife, Sylvia, and their son, Noureddin, had been detained separately and accused of embezzlement and money laundering. Reports indicate that the two were recently moved from basement cells in the presidential palace to house arrest on May 9. Their supporters allege they were subjected to torture while in custody—claims that Nguema’s administration denies.

The African Union had been pressing for the release of the Bongo family. At a meeting on April 30, the AU’s Peace and Security Council formally readmitted Gabon after suspending the country following the coup. The council urged Gabonese authorities to guarantee the rights and health of the Bongo family.

Ali Bongo came to power in 2009 after the death of his father, Omar Bongo, who ruled Gabon for over four decades. His presidency was marred by allegations of electoral fraud and corruption, culminating in widespread discontent that paved the way for the 2023 coup.

Gabonese authorities have not officially commented on the former first family’s departure.

U.S. Senior Advisor for Africa, Massad Boulos, announced the development in a statement issued on Thursday night, following what he described as “constructive conversations” with President Paul Kagame and his DRC counterpart Félix Tshisekedi.

The conversation followed the submission of the respective draft agreement versions by DRC and Rwanda earlier this month.

“We have provided the first draft of a peace agreement to both sides and will work with the parties to iterate on the agreement to reach consensus,” Boulos said.

“Resolving long-standing differences is hard work, and we are committed to seeing this through. We look forward to further engagement to come to a resolution,” he added.

The draft agreement comes ahead of a landmark ceremony scheduled for June at the White House, where Presidents Kagame and Tshisekedi are expected to formally sign the peace accord in the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump.

On the same occasion, additional agreements on economic cooperation between the United States and the two African nations are expected to be concluded.

If all proceeds as planned, the deal could pave the way for significant American investments in both Rwanda and the DRC, marking a major step forward in regional development and bilateral relations.

The U.S. has emphasised that before the agreement can be finalised, both parties must meet a series of preconditions.

For the DRC, this includes addressing internal security issues such as the disbanding of the FDLR militia—a group formed by the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda—and implementing governance reforms to ensure a more equitable distribution of national resources.

The peace process has gained momentum in recent months, with notable diplomatic progress made during a series of negotiations held in Doha, Qatar.

Delegations from Rwanda, the DRC, the United States, and Qatar participated in the talks. Rwanda was represented by Brig Gen Jean Paul Nyirubutama, Deputy Director General of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), and Brig Gen Patrick Karuretwa, Head of International Military Cooperation.

Talks initially mediated under the East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) frameworks are now being facilitated by the African Union, with Togo taking a lead role in guiding the final stages of the process.

The project, located in Musanze District in the Northern Province, is part of a broader national effort to tap into the lucrative global medical cannabis market and drive economic diversification.

An official from the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) confirmed during a parliamentary budget hearing on Tuesday that the project is 83 percent complete.

Joseph Cedrick Nsengiyumva, RDB’s Chief Financial Officer, informed lawmakers that remaining tasks include the installation of a double-layered security fence—an international requirement for medical cannabis infrastructure.

“The works related to drainage layout were completed but are yet to be invoiced,” said Nsengiyumva.

For the 2024/2025 fiscal year, Rwf2.2 billion has been earmarked for the project, with over Rwf1 billion already spent, representing a 46 percent financial execution rate.

The medical cannabis initiative marks Rwanda’s foray into the pharmaceutical and health research industries, with the long-term goal of becoming a key exporter of cannabis-derived therapeutic products.

Based on ministerial orders issued in June 2021 concerning cannabis and its derivatives, King Kong Organics (KKOG) was granted a five-year license to cultivate the plant.

The firm, a subsidiary of KKOG Global, has already invested $10 million into facility construction, advanced machinery, land acquisition, and the importation of genetically modified cannabis seeds.

Initially, construction of the production site was expected to be completed by May 2024, but delays linked to infrastructure access pushed the timeline to September of the same year.

KKOG CEO Rene Joseph said the plant will be used to extract cannabis oils for export to international markets.

Rwanda has allocated 134 hectares for medical cannabis cultivation, targeting a yield of 5,000 kilograms per hectare for export.