A new teachers’ shop in Musanze District has been praised by beneficiaries.

Teachers say Muhakaira Teachers Shop, which has been in place for the last three months, sells to them commodities at reasonable prices once they present membership cards.

Adias Ntabareshya, a teacher and head of an eight-member household in Burera, welcomed the service.

"We get cooking oil at Rwf1,200 and long grain rice at Rwf660 yet other shops sell at Rwf1,500 and Rwf740, respectively . We also get domestic equipment at a reasonable price,” Ntabareshya said.

Jean Baptiste Ngerageze, a teacher at Groupe Scolaire Gatare in Nyabihu District, said previously it was not easy to get credit from some shops, but with the teachers’ shop this is possible.

"My children cannot sleep on an empty stomach even when my account is not credited. Since I am now a regular customer, sometimes, I get on credit and still enjoy a discount. However, we want the service to be brought closer as transport fare to Musanze town is an additional cost,” said Ngerageze.

He added that, besides helping to improve his family‘s welfare, the shop enables him to concentrate on teaching rather than being distracted by worrying about the next meal.

But he said, "the government should revisit teachers’ salaries and match them with the cost of living.

The Managing Director of Muhakaira Teachers shop, Joel Muhayimana, said the shop‘s target was to complement the government efforts in improving teachers’ welfare and improve quality of education.

"We, in the private sector, are committed to supporting government’s in trying to improve teacher’s welfare. We have set up the shop because we know that a hungry man is an angry man,” Muhayimana said.

"We are happy that many teachers are shopping with us either with cash or on credit, but we still buy food items from the local market. We request the government to give the shop tax exemptions on imported goods to meet various needs of the customers,” Muhayimana added.

What does the Govt say?

Olivier Rwamukwaya, the State Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, appreciated the idea of teachers’ shop, noting it has to evolve through Umwalimu Savings and Credit Cooperatives but gave no promises of tax exemptions.

"Teachers should empower this shop through Umwalimu SACCO, by asking for loans to run such a business. The traders have not yet officially requested tax exemption, but if they do, we shall analyse it. They do not have to confuse it with other existing special shops,” said Rwamukwaya.

The minister also urged teachers to own the initiative by working hand in hand with SACCO to buy shares.

‘‘Teachers should own the initiative since they are the primary beneficiaries. They buy at a given discount and access merchandise on credit without difficult. So, they have to work hand in hand with SACCO and invest in it for annual income generation,” Rwamukwaya urged teachers.

There are over 50,000 teachers across the country .The government put in place Umwalimu Saving and Credit Cooperative to help teachers set up some small enterprises and encourages teachers to run some medium scale enterprises. It is also exploring other non-monetary incentives.

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