Any resident of Nyaruguru District will tell you without hesitation that Kibeho Vocational Training Centre is the most popular destination for those seeking vocational education in the area. The school, located in Kibeho Sector in the Southern Provence, began operations in February 2013 with 49 students, but currently has close to 200 enrolled students.

The school stands out mainly because it promotes vocational education. Some of the  courses it offers include carpentry, electrical, plumbing, leather technology, information and communications technology (ICT), as well as entrepreneurship skills.

According to the school deputy head teacher, Vincent Habimana, the beginning was quite thorny.

"Many parents had a negative attitude towards vocational training and their children also inherited the attitude, thinking that such skills were for academic failures,” he says.

Habimana says over the years they have surmounted this poor attitude to make the institution a pride of the community.

"Our highly motivated and experienced staff, as well as the presence of modern equipment has been pivotal in this transition. Few months after our inception, our students were able to do several productive things in their particular fields. Their creativity and innovation eventually won over the community,” he says.

Habimana believes the school has gone a long way in solving youth unemployment and promoting community literacy.

"The school came as an answer to the poverty that was affecting residents, especially the youth. Due to poverty, many children used to drop out of school. However, through the wide range of courses that the school offers, the youth get a strong foundation to create employment opportunities,” Habimana proudly says.

To further enrich the package, Habimana says this year, the school upgraded to a technical secondary school (TSS), which combines both theory and practical studies.

"So far, we have 112 students in TSS and 22 in VTC. When TSS started many parents moved their children to TSS in order for them to acquire more skills,” explains Habimana.

What makes the school tick?

Alex Nshimiyimana, the VTC’s instructor of electrical installation, talks about his students with confidence.

"We give our students quality knowledge and skills that can make them competitive on the job market after school. Besides, our students get enough time for practical lessons, which opens doors for them to excel highly in their fields,” he explains

Habimana adds that, "we help our students to find internship placements in good companies where they receive more quality training. We have partnerships with different non-governmental organisations, which provide students with essential equipment in line with their fields to supplement their skills.”

"Even when the students have completed, we allow them to come back and borrow our modern equipment whenever they get job opportunities that require sophisticated machinery,” he adds.

The best students are always retained to work at the school, according to Habimana.

Area residents who shared their experience with Education Times couldn’t hide their gratitude for what the school in doing in their community.

"It used to be a big challenge for our children to get vocational skills since we had no schools nearby that offered such courses. But the presence of Kibeho VTC has filled the gap, and our children’s future is brighter. I believe in a few years to come unemployment will be history in our community,” says Allen Uwamahoro, a mother of four and resident of Kibeho Sector.

Another parent, Albert Nshimiyimana, testifies that the school groomed his child into a productive individual.

"After graduation, my son was hired by one of the best construction companies in the country and he is now the one supporting his siblings in school,” he says.

He advises parents to have a positive attitude towards vocational education institutions  and consider them as a solution to unemployment.

Vedaste Munyeshyaka, who graduated top in his carpentry class last year, says he earns Rwf80,000 monthly from a job in a workshop located near the school. And sometimes he earns more when the school calls him to do part-time jobs.

"I’m always in touch with the school. They often call me for opportunities; especially when they get big orders for making desks, tables and beds, among others. This earns me extra income,” he says.

Munyeshyaka says he plans to open a workshop with six of his former classmates.

"I was not only given skills at Kibeho VTC, but also taught the value of working hard. And it is this spirit that encourages me to excel in everything I do,” he says.

Habimana says all the 49 students who graduated last year got jobs in their fields.

"We had prepared them and it’s their competitive skills that helped them to get employment with ease,” he says.