These details were shared by the BRD leadership during a gathering for Rwandans living abroad on January 3, 2025.
The event hosted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe, was attended by over 130 Rwandans from more than 40 countries.
In his address, the Minister emphasized that achieving the goals of the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) will require ongoing effort and collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including the Rwandan diaspora.
The student loan scheme, which started in 1980 under the Ministry of Education, has undergone several changes over time.
Initially managed by the Ministry of Education, the responsibility shifted in 2008 to the Students Financing Agency of Rwanda (SFAR).
In 2013, following a merger of institutions under the Ministry of Education, SFAR was integrated into the Rwanda Education Board (REB) as a department responsible for student loans.
In 2016, BRD took over the management of student loans and collection of repayments from beneficiaries.
During the event, Wilson Rurangwa, Head of the Education Department at BRD, urged those who had benefited from the loans to begin thinking about repayment.
“As the Minister mentioned, the NST2 development agenda aims to build a knowledge based economy, and this can only be achieved through education.
“Many of us here have had the privilege of studying with these loans, but we must repay them so that future generations can have the same opportunity,” Rurangwa said.
BRD also advises loan applicants to open accounts with BRD Minuza, which will allow them to easily track their payments or have their employers deduct payments directly from their salaries if applicable.
The bank has been making adjustments to student loan repayment procedures as needed.
For example, in July 2024, 300 million Rwandan Francs were refunded to those who had overpaid on their loans.
The National Examination and School Inspection Authority (NESA) had earlier announced that the first group of boarding students is scheduled to return to their schools on January 3, 2025.
Congestion has been reported at various bus stations across Kigali, where students board vehicles to return to school, making it difficult for some to find transport.
Joseph Rutajobwa, an employee of Virunga Express, explained that the transportation challenges faced by students are largely due to non-compliance with the set return schedule.
“The problem is that students do not respect their designated days. For instance, if students from the Southern Province are assigned a specific date, they often fail to travel on that date and instead show up on other days, leading to overcrowding and delays,” he stated.
Emma-Claudine Ntirenganya, the Kigali City Director General in Charge of Communication and Education, stated that some parents have developed a habit of disregarding the schedule for returning students, creating challenges for service providers.
“When parents fail to follow the schedule, it becomes challenging for us as the Kigali City administration, and it also creates difficulties for transportation companies. These companies cannot combine students with other passengers, as students travel under standard fares without additional charges,” Ntirenganya explained:
Ntirenganya warned parents who delay their children’s return to school, stating that penalties will be introduced.
“Penalties will be implemented, requiring parents to either comply with the schedule or make personal arrangements to transport their children to school.”
NESA has indicated that the final group of boarding students is expected to return to school by January 6, 2025.
Huang Xin, deputy dean of the School of International Education at Jinhua University of Vocational Technology, said, “Talent training programs and teaching plans for the new group of Rwandan students are being perfected based on the feedback from the first group of students.”
Vocational education, as an important bridge to continue the traditional friendship between China and Africa, shoulders the important responsibility of training variety of talents, passing on technical skills, promoting employment and entrepreneurship, and adding youth power to the dream of modernization for China and Africa. At present, China has built the world’s largest vocational education system.
In the system, Luban Workshops shines like a pearl in the international cooperation of China’s vocational education. Currently, more than 30 workshops have been jointly built in Asia, Europe and Africa. And nearly 10,000 students have been trained in academic education and more than 31,000 people received vocational training.
Jinhua’s cooperation with African countries in vocational education is a “golden card” for China-Africa educational exchanges and cooperation.
As the first batch of pilot institutions of “Future Africa– China-Africa Vocational Education Cooperation Plan” project, Jinhua University of Vocational Technology welcomed the first group of 30 Rwandan students involved in the Future of Africa—Vocational Education Cooperation Plan in April this year. They gained fruitful results during the year in Jinhua.
At Africa Tech Challenge (ATC) Season IX in 2024, MBONIMANA Philimine won the highest score while Tuyihimbaze Israel won the third prize.
In the finals of Industrial Robot Installation and Maintenance Technical Competition Season V(International Group) of the 2024 Belt and Road and BRICS Skills Development and Technological Innovation Competition, Tuyihimbaze Israel, Musengamana Eugene and Iradukunda Abel won the third prize; Umwali Ange Natacha, Ngabonziza Elie and Uwamahoro Alphonsine won the gold medal in the finals of the Finance and Business Circuit (International Group) of the 2024 World Vocational College Skills Competition, while Mbonimana Philimine won the bronze medal in the Equipment Manufacturing circuit (International Group).
Umwali Ange Natacha was also employed as the international communication envoy of Jin Hub and the promotion officer of Jinhua Mountain Cultural Travel, telling the good story of Jinhua to the world.
At present, Jinhua University of Vocational Technology is also preparing the graduation ceremony for these Rwandan students. The students say that they have lived an extremely fulfilling life in Jinhua and hope to become witnesses, beneficiaries, builders as well as story tellers of China-Africa friendship and cooperation.
Umwali Ange Natacha and Hafashimana Patrick say that they will stay in Jinhua after graduation and have signed letters of intent with Zhejiang Wandefu Intelligent Technology Co., LTD. and Jinhua Runxing Technology Co., LTD respectively.
“Most overseas students choose to return to their country after graduation. We have contacted Chinese enterprises in Rwanda through the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Rwanda and the Association of Overseas Chinese in Rwanda, and actively helped them realize their dream of returning to China.”
Qian Xiangming, dean of Musanze International College of Jinhua University of Vocational Technology says. He hopes that Rwandan students will innovate and explore “small but beautiful” cooperation projects when promoting local economic development, and become a link of business exchanges between Jinhua and Africa.
In the overseas development of vocational education for Africa, in addition to Jinhua University of Vocational Technology, Yiwu Industrial & Commercial College and Zhejiang Guangsha Vocational and Technical University of Construction are highly active as well.
In October 2023, Yiwu Industrial & Commercial College and Morocco Mondiapolis University cooperated in running an overseas branch – Morocco Yiwu Business School, jointly carrying out the training of international trade talents, big data technical talents, and e-commerce talents.
In 2018, Zhejiang Guangsha Vocational and Technical University of Construction gave full play to the industrial advantages of national intangible heritage Dongyang wood carving, and cooperated with the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of the Congo to recruit the first batch of international students from the country, becoming the first vocational college in Zhejiang province to recruit international students in the field of arts and crafts.
At the end of March this year, it cooperated with Sassu University of the Republic of the Congo to build the “China-the Republic of the Congo Silk Road College”, carrying out all-round cooperation in running schools around personnel training, skills training and cultural exchanges.
The forum, themed “Educating and Qualifying Our Youth for a Prosperous, Integrated, and Dynamic Africa,” brought together African leaders to address key challenges in education and youth employment.
Kagame pointed to the vast potential of Africa’s growing youth population, describing it as a critical driver of economic growth.
“In just a decade from now, young Africans will represent the biggest share of the global population entering the workforce,” he said.
“We cannot let this opportunity go to waste. This generation has the potential of becoming a powerful engine for growth and prosperity—not just for Africa, but for the rest of the world.”
The Rwandan Head of State stressed the need to equip young people with skills aligned with modern labour market demands.
“What we need to do is equip these young people with the skills and expertise to meet the demands of the labour market,” Kagame noted, highlighting the partnership with UNICEF for digital skills and connectivity as a promising model.
Kagame also emphasized the importance of increased investment in education, citing Rwanda’s efforts.
“In Rwanda, we have increased the share of education spending in our budget from 11% in the year 2020 to 17.7% in the year 2024,” he stated.
Beyond increased funding, he highlighted the importance of quality reforms, saying, “The focus should be on quality if we want to see long-term results. This means training and hiring better-qualified teachers, modernizing the curriculum, and encouraging critical thinking rather than rote memorization.”
He further urged African nations to take ownership of their education strategies, reducing dependence on external support.
“Effective partnerships should not be confused with outsourcing responsibility or leadership. It is not a question about being big or small or having sufficient resources; it is about making the right choices. This is well within Africa’s means,” Kagame asserted.
Hosted by Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani in collaboration with the African Union and UNICEF, the forum aimed to explore sustainable solutions to reduce the number of out-of-school children, improve learning outcomes, and prepare youth to tackle Africa’s challenges.
The president closed with a call to action, urging leaders to create opportunities that discourage risky migration in search of better prospects.
“As we speak, many young Africans are putting their lives in danger to go find better opportunities abroad. This is a sign that we need to do more to empower our youth,” he remarked.
“Africa is our common home, and we must ensure that every African has a future on this continent.”
The forum’s outcomes are expected to inform policies to revamp education systems and boost youth employability, strengthening Africa’s position in the global economy.
Among the leaders present at the forum were President Muhammadu Ghazouani of Mauritania, who hosted the event and currently chairs the African Union; President Abdelmadjid Tebboune of Algeria; and Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and Ted Chaiban, Deputy Director of UNICEF were also in attendance.
This growth reflects the expansion of Rwanda’s higher education sector, which has seen about 20 new institutions gain approval to operate in the country over the past seven years.
While some of these institutions offer specialized international programs, they are not the only schools drawing foreign students.
For instance, in October 2024, more than 8,000 students graduated from the University of Rwanda, 126 of whom were international students.
HEC data shows that in the 2017/2018 academic year, there were about 1,397 international students, with numbers now ballooning to over 9,100.
Speaking before the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Technology, Culture, Sports, and Youth, HEC Director General Dr. Rose Mukankomeje highlighted both the successes and the challenges of this growth.
“The number of international students has increased, but some arrive with insufficient information about study requirements and face unexpected challenges,” she said.
To address this, HEC is working closely with immigration authorities to ensure that information on study requirements is readily accessible online and that students can secure visas upon arrival.
“No one should come as a tourist and then attempt to enroll in school,” she emphasized.
Dr. Mukankomeje also raised concerns about individuals who enter Rwanda under false pretenses, sometimes claiming to seek work but lacking proper employment documentation.
She noted cases where people with medical backgrounds enroll in unrelated courses, such as computer programming, as a strategy to obtain equivalency documents and ultimately secure employment.
In October 2024, Prime Minister Dr. Edouard Ngirente reaffirmed the commitment to enhancing the quality of education at the University of Rwanda, which continues to attract international students. He stressed that maintaining high educational standards remains a top priority.
Since 2017, the number of highly qualified faculty members with Ph.D. degrees has also seen substantial growth, increasing from 776 to 1,195 in 2024.
The students shared their testimonies during an event organized to celebrate their graduation from various institutions on September 27, 2024. This is the fourth such event for scholars hosted by FAWE in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.
The graduates include 272 young women from low-income families, sponsored from their fourth year of secondary school through their university studies in various fields.
The group comprises 125 former students from the University of Rwanda (UR) and 147 from INES Ruhengeri, all of whom received their degrees at the end of 2023.
Mpinganzima Lydivine, who studied medicine at INES Ruhengeri, said FAWE Rwanda acted as a bridge to achieving her dreams.
She stated, “It was difficult to find the means to study. FAWE was like a parent to us from secondary school and turned our dreams into reality. As someone from a rural area, I never thought it would be possible.”
“We will use what we’ve learned to uplift the broader community and help others in rural areas build the confidence to succeed in completing their education.”
Shimwa Uwase Sylvie, who studied computer science at the University of Rwanda, shared that the support FAWE Rwanda provided helped her secure a job in her field.
She said, “After completing my studies, I secured a job in my field, and now I train youth in entrepreneurship, specifically in software development.”
“I’m delighted that FAWE helped me pursue studies in technology because it was my dream to be one of the women contributing to the technology sector, which our country prioritizes.”
Mutoro Antonia, the FAWE Rwanda representative, encouraged the graduates to work hard and continue developing themselves while also giving back to the community, noting that 75% of them have already secured jobs.
She said, “We expect them to become women leaders who believe in their ability to help other girls advance. We also have programs that help them gain confidence in public speaking and becoming role models.”
The Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Irere Claudette, highlighted FAWE Rwanda’s role in promoting girls’ education.
She said, “The first FAWE school in Rwanda, founded in 1999, began by teaching girls and encouraging them to believe in their ability to study science, which they often feared, and to speak up when facing challenges. Since then, many have passed through FAWE’s programs, and both the school and FAWE’s initiatives have grown.”
Irere also addressed parents who still abandon their daughters when they become pregnant, telling them that “having a child does not mean life is over. She gives birth, but she should continue her education. If you don’t support her, she won’t be able to help her child in the future.”
FAWE began operating in Rwanda in 1997 and started sponsoring students in 2013 in partnership with Mastercard Foundation.
Since then, 12,000 girls have received school sponsorship, including over 800 who have gone on to university. The organization plans to begin sponsoring boys from disadvantaged families starting next year.
This came during a high-level meeting held on Wednesday under the theme “Investing in Tomorrow: The African Union Year of Education Catalyzing Progress for Africa and the World,” the AU said in a statement.
Addressing the meeting, Chairperson of the AU Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat underscored the critical need to guarantee access to quality education for all Africans, with a particular focus on the marginalized and most vulnerable groups, mainly young girls and people with disabilities.
Noting that the education sector in Africa is often the most affected by instabilities caused by conflicts, Faki called for the protection of educational facilities and emphasized that education should serve as a beacon of hope and an engine of progress.
“Education empowers individuals, strengthens communities, builds nations, breaks the chains of poverty, and lays the foundation for a prosperous and equitable society. The African Union’s commitment to prioritizing education reflects our unwavering belief that knowledge provides the power to break barriers, challenge societal norms, and create a more equitable world,” the AU statement quoted Faki as saying.
Jakaya Kikwete, former Tanzanian president and board chair of the Global Partnership for Education, stressed that investing in education is an investment in securing a better future for Africa.
“Achieving the Africa we want hinges on our commitment to invest in young Africans. Too few governments are meeting the global benchmark of spending 15 to 20 percent of national budgets on education. Yet, the returns on education are immense — a 1 percent improvement in learning outcomes can translate to a 7.2 percent increase in annual economic growth,” Kikwete said, adding that an educated and skilled population could boost per capita income in Africa by 50 percent by 2050.
Claver Gatete, executive secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that education in Africa needs a revolution.
The high-level meeting, held on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, is a recognition of the AU theme of the year 2024: Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive, Lifelong, Quality, and Relevant Learning in Africa.
Dr. Murigande’s career has been extensive, having served as the former Rector of the National University of Rwanda, Minister of Education, and most recently as Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Institutional Advancement at the University of Rwanda. Despite retiring, he remains actively involved in education as Chairman of the Board at Kepler College.
In addition to his contributions to education, Dr. Murigande has had a distinguished political career, holding positions such as Rwanda’s Ambassador to Japan, Secretary General of the RPF-Inkotanyi party, and ministerial roles in Foreign Affairs, Transport and Communications, Education, and Cabinet Affairs.
{{Improving the quality of education}}
According to Dr. Murigande, the term “quality education” is often used without a full understanding of what it entails or how to achieve it. He likened it to preparing a meal, where quality ingredients are essential for success. In education, the most crucial “ingredient” is the teacher.
“A well-trained, passionate teacher who views teaching as a calling, and is equipped with the necessary tools, can have a significant impact. Even under challenging conditions, a great teacher can deliver excellent results,” he emphasized.
Dr. Murigande also highlighted the importance of effective school management, discipline, and student focus as key factors for improving education. Additionally, he pointed out the impact of teacher-to-student ratios, noting that smaller class sizes allow for more individualized attention, leading to better outcomes.
He challenged the notion that Rwanda’s education system was better in the past, explaining that such comparisons are flawed. For example, Rwanda once had only 50,000 secondary school students in total, meaning that only 5% of primary school graduates advanced to secondary education.
Today, access to secondary education is far more widespread, and the top 5% of current graduates are just as competitive globally as their counterparts from prestigious universities like Cambridge and Oxford.
“What has shaped people’s perception of declining education quality is the democratization of education. As more students enter the system, not all have the same abilities. Our focus now should be on raising the capabilities of all students going through the system,” he stated.
Dr. Murigande suggested several measures to address these challenges, including ensuring that all teachers are well-qualified. He acknowledged that while progress cannot be made overnight, improving teacher quality is essential for long-term success.
He also reflected on past practices where lower-performing students were often channeled into teacher training, but noted that the Ministry of Education has corrected this, now admitting top-performing students into the profession.
Although there are still teachers who entered the system before these reforms, Dr. Murigande advocated for additional training to improve their skills and ensure they can meet today’s educational demands.
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Dr. Murigande also discussed why the Ministry of Education has experienced frequent leadership changes, with 17 ministers serving in the last 30 years, including the most recent appointment of Joseph Nsengimana.
He attributed these changes to the government’s recognition of education as a cornerstone for national development. “No development is possible without quality education, which produces individuals capable of addressing the country’s challenges and implementing solutions,” he noted.
Given education’s critical role, Dr. Murigande explained that when expectations are not met, the government doesn’t wait passively for improvements. Instead, it acts swiftly, changing leadership in hopes of finding new approaches to deliver better results.
While acknowledging that leadership changes can sometimes cause short-term disruption, Dr. Murigande views them as calculated risks.
“You could leave things as they are, but that might not lead to progress. Change, though disruptive at first, can often bring about the faster results we need once the right solutions are found,” he observed.
In a statement, Airtel Africa Foundation said the Fellowship aims to support deserving students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.
The scholarship program is designed to support students from 14 African countries, including Rwanda, Nigeria, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia, Tanzania, DR Congo, Niger, Chad, Congo B, Gabon, Madagascar and Seychelles.
Starting with an outlay of US$500,000, this program will benefit 10 undergraduate students, for their entire course duration of four years.
Founded in 2024 with a vision to foster a prosperous Africa, the Airtel Africa Foundation is dedicated to advancing digital and financial inclusion across the continent along with key focus on education and environmental protection.
“This Fellowship is the maiden initiative undertaken to enhance educational opportunities for meritorious students, especially from disadvantaged backgrounds, enrolled at IIT M Zanzibar,” the statement reads in part.
The Foundation said that the recipients of the scholarship will be known as ‘Airtel Africa Fellows’. They will receive 100% of their college fees i.e. US$12,000 as per the course fee structure of the Institute for a 4-year program. Additionally, to cover the living expense cost, US$500 will be given to all eligible students.
According to the management, the initiative aims to transform, shape lives and nurture future leaders who will contribute to technological innovation and economic growth of Africa.
“We are pleased to partner with IIT Madras Zanzibar to provide opportunities for young Africans to access quality education. This initiative aims to contribute towards creating a prosperous and sustainable continent. We look forward to creating even more opportunities not just in education, but also in financial and digital inclusion, and environmental protection,” the Chairman of the Airtel Africa Foundation, Dr. Olusegun Ogunsanya said.
Zanzibar’s Minister of Education and Vocational Training, Lela Mohamed Mussa, lauded the fellowship scheme, saying it will support efforts to increase access to quality education to students from across the continent.
“IITM Zanzibar is charting a wonderful path in technical education in the region. Providing access to this high quality education to students from Tanzania and the rest of the continent, who are topping the IITM Zanzibar screening and test processes, through financial assistance, is an important priority for us. We are thankful to this support from Airtel Africa Foundation, which will enhance our own efforts in this direction,” the minister stated.
The Director of IIT Madras, Prof. V. Kamakoti welcomed the partnership with the Airtel Africa Foundation, saying “We are delighted that Airtel Africa Foundation is joining hands with us in this effort. We look forward to welcoming the second cohort of bright young students to the IITM Zanzibar campus this year. We are immensely grateful to Airtel Africa Foundation for providing financial assistance for these future global leaders.”
In this context, the hospital has launched the university in line with Ministerial Order No. 001/MINEDUC/2024, dated April 26, 2024, which authorized AHSU to begin operations and granted it legal status. The order specified that AHSU is permitted to offer Master’s degree programs in anesthesiology, emergency medicine, surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics.
Additionally, AHSU will provide courses in the fields of pharmacy, nursing, midwifery, radiography, and laboratory sciences. The university has started by offering the Bachelor of Science in midwifery course initially enrolling 40 learners selected from1423 applications (2.3% acceptance rate for the midwifery program).
This opportunity is highly advantageous for the selected learners, as they will receive full scholarships, accommodation, and stipends during the course of their studies. The selection process prioritized learners who excelled in high school exams, particularly in biology.
However, due to the large number of applicants, additional written exams and interviews were conducted to identify the top 40 learners who reported on 1st September 2024 and commenced their studies the same week.
Learners will spend their first semester taking theoretical and simulation based learning, with subsequent years spent in hospital-based training at hospitals, among them, Kacyiru hospital, Muhima hospital and King Faisal Hospital.
Some of the learners at the university expressed their excitement during the reporting day, affirming that it will help them achieve their goals in the midwifery field.
During an interview with IGIHE, Kevine Kayihoza Ntawuyifasha, one of the selected learners could not hide her excitement at the opportunity.
“Getting this opportunity is a great blessing; I am now determined to work hard and succeed so that I can help expectant mothers in the future. Since childhood, I wanted to pursue a career in midwifery, but I wasn’t sure where I would study.”
Similarly, her colleague, Nina Shania Kamikazi, said, “It’s a blessing to be among the few selected learners from the many who applied. This is an opportunity I must use to build my future, and I believe this place will help me achieve that.”
Kamikazi also revealed that she has always dreamt of working in the medical field, particularly in midwifery, as she considers it a noble profession and a calling.
Dr. Augustin Sendegeya, Chief Medical Officer at King Faisal Hospital, emphasized that the university is expected to address the shortage of trained medical professionals.
He stated, “We were given the responsibility not only to be a hospital but also to contribute to education. With the resources we have and the strong leadership, we saw the need to establish a university that offers various programs related to medical education.”
He added, “The university will increase the number of healthcare workers, not just in quantity but also in the quality of the services they provide. Based on how we have started and the support available, this is an achievable goal.”
Dr. Sendegeya noted that the Master’s degree programs will be offered at Kibungo Hospital in Ngoma District and Kibuye Hospital in Karongi District. This will enhance the capacity of these hospitals, improving the services provided to the community.
AHSU currently operates at the Kacyiru Executive Apartment buildings, located near King Faisal Hospital.
