The Minister for Education, Papias Malimba Musafiri, has called upon head teachers to provide students with more extra-curricular activities, including music education, to unlock students’ talents and keep them interested in education.

"A student will get bored if they spend too much time in class but music education will make learning process enjoyable and help teachers to discover students’ talents for a better guidance,” he said.

Musafiri made the remarks on Friday after receiving educational materials worth $2.6 million (Rwf2 billion) from Booyoung Co. Ltd, a South Korean firm.

The donation included 20,000 non-reflective chalkboards and 2,000 digital pianos for primary schools across the country.

The ceremony, held at Kimihurura Primary School (EPAK) in Gasabo District, was also attended by the chairman of Booyoung Co. Ltd, Dr Lee Joong-Keun and the South Korean ambassador to Rwanda, Park Yongmin, among others.

"This donation has come at the right time as we are soon introducing a new competence-based curriculum which has music and arts subjects among others. So, these materials will promote quality education, more specifically musical education and socio-cultural cooperation between the two countries,” Minister Musafiri said.

The new curriculum, which was unveiled in April, will be introduced in primary and secondary schools starting next academic year.

Musafiri appreciated Dr Lee for the donation and pledged optimal utilisation of the educational materials, saying they will be distributed equitably to all districts across the country.

"Very few teachers can offer music courses but Booyoung designated specialists are supporting us in training music teachers and teachers from Nyundo Music School will intervene,” he added.

Amb. Yongmin commended the government’s commitment to education, saying the education of the young is essential for socio-economic development.

"Education is at the centre of our cooperation and, obviously, the two countries have many similarities. Our economies depend on human capital and empowering the population with skills is paramount,” he said.

The ceremony featured music performances by primary school pupils in Kinyarwanda and Korean languages.

Pastor Aimable Nsabayesu, a music specialist at Nyundo School of Music who monitored the training of teachers and students, said the trainees expressed much interest in music education and they have made commendable progress.

"We have trained 12 teachers from different primary schools in different districts and we have selected six schools to act as training centres for 120 students in music education. Music promotes quality education in that it awakens one’s talents and especially to young ones, it keeps them busy in their free time instead of watching adult-designed movies,” he said.

Dancille Mukacyemayire, the head teacher of EPAK, said the pianos will help teachers to translate music theory into practice.

Booyoung Co. Ltd signed the grant agreement with MINEDUC early this year, and the ceremony marked its fulfilment as the materials were brought in the country in different batches.

Amb Yongmin said Booyoung is a leading Korean education compassionate firm in the world, having donated over 50,000 digital pianos and 150,000 chalkboards across the world, adding that Rwanda is the first African country to benefit from such a donation.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw