Student representatives who have just completed civic education training (Itorero) have been urged to embrace education that combines science, wisdom and consciousness and play a role in inducting newly admitted students to promote unity.

The call was made, on Tuesday, by the Minister for Education, Dr Papias Malimba Musafiri, during the closure of a weeklong Itorero that brought together more than 290 participants from University of Rwanda colleges and private higher learning institutions.

The training aimed at equipping student representatives with Rwandan moral values which would help them live academic life with colleagues and the rest of society without any discrimination.

The minister said students should have a complete package to trigger the national development and this should start from students’ respective universities.

"We want education that combines both science and conscience,” Musafiri said.

He said students should play a role in enabling the academic environment be more conducive for learning.

Doreen Umwali, a medical student at UR’s College of Social Sciences, said the training had shaped her character and would channel positive moral values among female students.

"I am committed to acting as a role model among old and new students,” Umwali said.

Participating institutions commended the National Itorero Commission and the Ministry of Education for organising the training.

"If you educate a woman, you cannot go wrong, you educate the nation,” Justine Mbabazi Niyibizi, who represented higher learning institutions, said.

Boniface Rucagu, the commission’s chairperson, said the training was aimed at provoking mindset change among students representatives by empowering them to help their fellow students cope with university life.

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