Reading this means you made it to the New Year 2014. Allow me to wish you a Happy New Year. This is the first issue of Education Times for 2014 and we are glad you have moved with us into the New Year. As the Education team, we promise to continue bringing you more insightful education news and analysis. The job of improving our education sector is one that cannot wait. Therefore we all need to snap out of the holiday mood and get into the work mode and each play our respective roles. Those returning to school should not delay but report on day one so that the teachers do not have a reason to delay before getting to the real business of imparting knowledge. Parents should continue playing their role of ensuring that their children get the best education. This does not necessarily mean taking them to the most expensive schools but primarily being actively involved in their education. The times for being a passive parent who just drops a child to school and only remembers to look at the report card at the end of the term are long gone.  The competitiveness of our school graduates is another thing that we need to keep our eyes on in 2014. Not only is Rwanda part of the East African Community, it is part of the now globalised world where competition is with the best from anywhere not just Rwanda. Like Nelson Mandela said during his days on earth, "It always seems impossible until it is done.” So let us all roll our sleeves and get to work so that by the time we are moving into 2015, we have a smile that lasts. Happy New Year once again.