The initiative, established under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed three years ago, aims to strengthen Rwanda’s education system by deploying skilled personnel in key sectors, including education, health, and information and communication technologies.
The Zimbabwean teachers completed a detailed pre-departure orientation in Harare, equipping them for their roles in Rwanda. According to Simon Masanga, Zimbabwe’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, the country continues to lead the exchange programme, with Zimbabwean specialists currently supporting Rwanda’s education reforms.
“We were in Rwanda a few weeks ago to assess both the living and working conditions of our specialists. I have never seen such excitement. They have mastered the local language, integrated into the community and the Government of Rwanda is extremely pleased with the contribution they are making,” Masanga told Zimbabwe’s state-run daily newspaper, The Herald.
Zimbabwe first sent a group of 154 specialists three years ago. Many are teaching English and mathematics in schools and teacher training centres, while others teach health sciences at the University of Rwanda. In addition to educators, Zimbabwe has also deployed health professionals and ICT specialists to Rwanda.
Rwanda and Zimbabwe’s bilateral relations continue to strengthen, with over 30 cooperation agreements signed across sectors such as education, health, energy, and tourism during the Third Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation held in August.
Speaking recently on the sidelines of the Africa-Nordic Foreign Affairs Ministers’ Meeting in Victoria Falls, Rwanda’s Foreign Minister, Olivier Nduhungirehe, hailed the teacher exchange as a model of successful South-South collaboration, emphasising the programme’s positive impact on Rwanda’s education sector.
The arrival of the new batch of specialists marks another step in deepening ties and supporting Rwanda’s efforts to enhance education quality across the country.
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