The ever increasing unemployment figures arising from high output of graduates from many universities in Rwanda threatens the social stability if not properly handled. Before 1994 graduates estimated at 1,900. Today, Rwandan university enrolment exceeds 60,000.
Unemployed university graduates would be a formidable force in Rwanda’s rural transformation. Government should look into this challenge more urgently and critically especially providing special financial packages in form of access to bank credit to graduates that establish self help projects in the rural areas.
Fresh graduates from universities continue to stay in urban centres especially Kigali city always hovering from office to office applying for white collar Jobs of which there are very few to cover competing tens of thousands of graduates.
The government should establish infrastructure especially electricity and roads, telecommunication among others that could attract such graduates to rural districts of the country enabling them exploit their potential with less costs in the rural districts.
Graduates from specific rural districts should team up in form of cooperatives and associations to establish self help projects in their districts. This would most likely enable them access credit from rural banks to support their projects.
Access to right and timely information is crucial in realisation of rural transformation of rural communities.
Community radios require establishment in at least every District of Rwanda to address particular challenges in every district leading to quick community mobilisation to achieve desired change.
Quality programming supported by young graduates from such districts could present a better resource in information creation vital for society transformation.
Scalingup Rural electrification should be quickly considered supported by stable supply of electricity to enable the establishment of Information and Communication Technology centres and Laboratories in rural schools aimed at extending the accruing benefits of ICT services to the communities.
Definitely the lack of ICT services in the rural setting are among the factors that contribute to the overcrowding of young university graduates in the City thus making rural districts as non compliant to their lifestyle.
The lack of access to current information throughout rural primary school and colleges has resulted into the production of youths incapable of fitting into the current market demands that require ability to quickly communicate while navigating ICT tools.
Currently in the rural areas there is an ongoing campaign of issuing loans of Frw1 Million to women. There is no proper sensitisation about this. The rural population claim its free donation from government to women. This means the money is going to be wastefully spent in case it’s granted.
Rural banks have not done enough to make follow-ups on the projects funded by these loans. The loan beneficiaries have on many occasions been caught up in the middle of their projects which collapse shortly after establishment.
This results into Banks filing lawsuits against loan defaulters who in the end lose all their worth in public auctioning of their property presented as loan security.
This has broken up families and caused social unrest and crime. Business and finance graduates would be very instrumental in volunteering as Monitoring and evaluation officers in the rural areas.
Rural Banks don’t seem to follow-up on how loan money is being used and on many occasions loans are used for weddings, buying household items and a lot of wasteful spending.
The demand and supply of different services and products by the rural population is so high. University graduates should exploit the rural commerce opportunity to transform their lives at an affordable cost.
The Agriculture produce seasons provide opportunities in an untapped commerce sector that dominates in the rural areas.
Religious organisations would play a vital role in mobilising university graduates into rural areas to help rural population in acquiring vocational skills, wealth creation and agro- business.
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