Club Solidarité Collège Saint-Albert (CSA) marked a significant occasion on Sunday, November 26, at the Kigali Convention Centre, by launching the CSA Umurage Foundation, with a vision and dedication to shaping Rwanda’s educational future.
The launch, a culmination of the successful introduction of the book chronicling College Saint-Albert’s rich history, aimed to instill Rwandan values, and culture, and highlight the importance of patriotism and self-sacrifice.
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During the launch, the Constitutive General Assembly Meeting was held to elect the board of the foundation. Colleagues with a unified vision to honour and perpetuate the legacy of academic excellence, patriotism, sacrifice, solidarity, humanity, and leadership embodied by CSA nearly six decades ago convened.
The CSA Umurage Foundation’s primary mission is to establish a premier secondary school in Rwanda, dedicated to preserving and amplifying the esteemed principles firmly fixed in College Saint-Albert&039;s heritage.
This school will serve as a beacon, nurturing current and future generations of Rwandans and Africans, instilling within them the values essential for progress and success.
In pursuit of this mission, the foundation aims to revolutionise education by implementing a comprehensive educational programme. Central to this initiative is the commitment to enhance Rwanda’s education system quality, with a strong emphasis on key subjects such as Sciences, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
There were various presentations, notably; foundation board members, core values of the CSA’s mission, team, plans, and ambitious goals they aim to accomplish throughout the foundation's journey.
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Speaking to The New Times, Charles Murigande, Rwanda's former education minister and board member of CSA Umurage Foundation, said, "CSA has been instrumental in shaping us by enabling Rwandans to study while in exile when opportunities were scarce. And it continued to instil Rwandan values, culture, and the importance of patriotism and self-sacrifice.”
"The school’s relocation to Rwanda”, he continued, "was essential, focusing on providing top-quality education in science and technology. Despite the delay in bringing CSA to Rwanda, its values of love, care, dedication, and cooperation should persist. These principles are crucial for the country’s growth and must be upheld through the establishment of a school that serves under CSA’s legacy.”
Murigande added: "The government aims for the best but faces hurdles due to inadequate teaching and a lack of emphasis on Rwandan values in many schools. By aligning with the government’s goals, CSA will contribute positively.
"CSA’s objective is not only to benefit its students but also to set a benchmark for other schools to emulate. It aspires to be an institution that not only imparts skills but also nurtures minds and hearts, teaching people how to coexist harmoniously, an approach that will ultimately benefit both Rwanda and the global community alike.”
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Eugène Gashugi, the chairperson of Club Solidarité Collège Saint-Albert and board member of CSA Umurage Foundation said, "CSA Umurage Foundation is founded to honour our parents’ bravery during the tough times they experienced.”
"We are going to construct a school in Bugesera District, Eastern Province next year. The school will also provide modern facilities, and seek competent educators locally and internationally,” he said.
He added: "We believe in human values and aspire to instil traits like selflessness, love, cooperation, and patriotism in future generations. Our primary aim is to promote this initiative in Rwanda and beyond.
"Our strategy will involve various phases, starting with educational programmes focusing on producing medical professionals and engineers while emphasising the cultivation of humanity, love, and patriotism. This foundation’s birth marks the beginning of its growth journey, and we anticipate nurturing its potential to positively impact lives in the near future,” he added.
Collège Saint-Albert from Bujumbura was founded by Rwandan refugee students in Belgium, nearly six decades ago on November 15, 1963.
The objective was to provide education for the young Rwandan refugees in Burundi who had fled the anti-Tutsi crisis which started in 1959 with persecution and killings in Rwanda.