The Education ministry has called for more private investments in the education sector.

Speaking at an education workshop, earlier this week, Sharon Haba, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, said the government was committed to facilitating the growth of important initiatives in the education sector.

She urged private investors to take advantage of a number of government incentives within the education sector such as tax exemptions and government partnership to invest in especially technical and vocational education.

Solange Mukayiranga, the ministry’s director general of education and planning, said there is still need for soft skills, hard technical skills and training of trainers.

Curriculum revision

Mukayiranga also called on the private sector to join government in developing new training modules.

She pointed out the need for private sector participation in Early Childhood Education, Special Needs Education, ICT as well as tertiary education.

Currently, the number of schools, both private and government-run, stands at 2,076 pre-primary, 2,650 primary, 1501 secondary while higher institutions are 38.

Mukayiranga said private investors can engage in provision of new laboratory equipment, construction of new classroom blocks, and improving professionalism through research and capacity building.

However, Emmanuel Gashaija, a representative of the Private Sector Federation, said their main concern is about the amount of money required to establish a private school.

"For a private school to compete favourably, a lot of money is needed. A school demands a lot of facilities and quality staff to be competitive,” he said.

Gashaija further expressed concerns over interest rates charged by banks, saying it was high.

"Our investments are sometimes limited by market availability and the interest rates charged by banks are not any different from those levied on traders, hence the only leeway is government intervention,” Gashaija said.

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