The association des Parents pour la Promotion de l’Education des Jeunes (ASPEJ) has received a $76,586 (about Rwf 57m) in Japanese grant to renovate Muhazi Lake Vocational School in Rwamagana District.

The support, provided through ‘Grant Assistance for Grassroots Security Projects’, will help renovate roofing and walls, and upgrade windows on two 14-classroom blocks, according to Valens Rutaremara, the legal representative of the school.

"Our buildings are old and lack proper ventilation for a conducive learning environment. We expect the grant to reduce risks and improve learning environment for 820 students,” he said.

The school, that was inaugurated in 1985, started with not more than 150 students.

It offers accountancy, computer science, tourism and construction.

At the grant signing ceremony at the Japanese embassy in Kigali, Charge d’Affaires Tomio Sakamoto yesterday said the project under which the funding was provided greatly contributed to the efforts of the Rwandan society to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Since the framework project was established in 1996 between Rwanda’s foreign affairs ministry and the embassy of Japan, Japanese government has supported grassroots programmes to a tune of about $6m, especially in the areas of education, water and sanitation as well as agriculture.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw