The Chinese government has awarded scholarships to 35 Rwandan students to pursue studies in various disciplines at various levels of higher education in China.

The scholarships were awarded through the Chinese Embassy in Kigali.

The students, who will pursue undergraduate, post-graduate and doctoral studies, will leave at the end of this month.

The Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda, Shen Yongxiang, said during a cocktail for the students on Thursday that it was crucial to empower through education.

"We are really happy and committed to invest in Rwandan education and empower all the people through the cooperation of the two countries. It’s not easy for the students who are going to study in china since there is stiff competition out there, but only hard work can sustain you,” the diplomat cautioned the students.

The programmes under which the students were selected focuses on critical areas where the country needs more skilled human resources. The disciplines include Civil Engineering, Finance, ICT, Agriculture, Medicine, Communication, International Relations, International Business and Marketing.

In an interview with Sunday Times, Gilbert Murenzi Katabarwa, one of the students who is going to study Surveying and Mapping Engineering, said that it’s another opportunity for him to gain skills that he will use when he returns.

"Having spent 9 months in Beijing learning the Chinese language and culture has helped me. I hope to gain skills from my studies and develop my country,” he noted.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw