President Paul Kagame yesterday received former Australian Prime minister Julia Gillard who has been in the country for a three-day visit aimed at discussing progress on two partnership projects she is involved in.

Gillard, who arrived in the country on Tuesday, is the Chair of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), Brookings Distinguished Fellow and Chancellor of Dūcere Foundation.

A statement from the Office of the President indicates that she was particularly interested in the progress on the Rwanda My School Initiative and the Dūcere Foundation Partnership.

The GPE is the only multilateral organisation devoted to providing all children in developing countries with a quality basic education so they can fulfill their potential and contribute to their societies.

It works with 61 developing countries as well as donor agencies, civil society or non-governmental organisations, teacher organisations, international organisations, and the private sector and foundations.

The GPE brings development partners together and builds consensus on education issues at the global and national level to help countries develop effective education sector plans.

Rwanda joined the GPE in 2006. Since then, the country has received three GPE education grants totaling $200 million.

The most recent grant of $25.2 million was allocated based on the new GPE funding model which links 30 percent of the funding to specific results in quality, equity and efficiency.

Dūcere Foundation is an Australian-based not-for-profit dedicated to providing children throughout Africa with the opportunity to grow into leaders. It coordinates a range of projects throughout Africa focusing largely on education.

In 2005, Dūcere Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Rwanda through the ministry of Education and the University of Rwanda as a host university.

The main purpose of the memorandum of understanding is to collaborate in the delivery of an online undergraduate degree programme in practical entrepreneurship and innovation.

The agreement is part of the implementation of Dūcere Foundation’s one million scholarships initiative, the objective of which is to offer Bachelor of Entrepreneurship degree qualifications to one million students across Africa.

During her visit to Rwanda, Gillard discussed with senior leaders of UR on the implementation a signed a memorandum of understanding on academic partnership between University of Rwanda and Dūcere Foundation.

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