The Institute of Legal Practice and Development (ILPD) has opened a part-time/evening programme for students who wish to enrol for a post-graduate diploma in legal practice. The new campus is based at the Ministry of Justice premises in Kimihurura, Kigali.

The first intake of 50 students has already been registered after passing an English test.

They will go through six modules for 10 months.

Speaking during the launch, on Monday, the ILPD’s rector, Prof. Nick Johnson, noted that the programme will help many lawyers who worked in Kigali but could not attend an intensive course of six months in Nyanza.

"Our students come from different ministries, government institutions and the bar association based in Kigali, and cannot afford a full time programme,” he said. The course tuition is Rwf1m. 

The courses in this programme focus on legal culture, interviewing and negotiation, criminal process among others.

Athanase Rutabingwa, the president of Rwanda Bar Association, said the school will build the capacity of fresh law graduates.

"What you get from law schools are the basics of legal knowledge in theory, but you need to get practical skills,” he noted.

Rutabingwa urged students to take the course seriously so that they are able to compete with other lawyers in the region.

Rutabingwa also requested ILPD staff to be flexible to their students considering that over 97 per cent of 5,000 lawyers in Rwanda are not good in English.

Roha Rwigamba, who has completed her course at ILPD, said she found the training useful. She called upon other lawyers to acquire skills.

"I feel now confident and capable of handling any case before any competent court of law,” she said.

ILPD is a public institute established in 2008 to provide practical legal education to serving professionals. Over 400 lawyers have since graduated from ILPD.