The Ministry of Education has rolled out the second phase of the Rwf7 billion career guidance programme in Rwandan schools that will help match students’ passion and skills with the needs of the labour market.

The State Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Isaac Munyakazi, spoke of the essence behind the new effort on Wednesday as he launched the second phase of the programme a year after it started to be piloted.

The launch was attended by head teachers, directors of education in districts, regional inspectors of schools and career advisors, among others.

"Sometimes when students graduate, they are not fit for the labour market because they probably studied what did not match the demands of the market or what they had no interest in,” he said.

This programme, the minister noted, will allow for early detection of students’ potentials and passion and help them, accordingly, including through internship placement.

"This programme will create linkages between the industry and potential future employees or students early on,” he said.

He said that, to-date, students have not been given adequate support or guided enough to make informed choices regarding their future careers.

Instead, Munyakazi said, students mostly rely on their parents and guardians, fellow students, or on their own intuition to make major decisions regarding their futures.

The programme is divided in four phases.

The first phase (pilot) cost Rwf300m covering 90 schools, while the second phase is expected to cost Rwf800m with additional 40 schools, according to Paul Birungi Masterjerb, the country director of Kuder Vision Unlimited, the U.S company contracted to implement the programme.

Birungi explained that an online system enables students to discover and achieve what they want to be, make appropriate decisions about options or suitable careers they can pursue, as well as prepare for the world of work.

"It will reduce mismatches between supply and demand for labour, which would ease unemployment and help grow the economy. There is need to maintain a steady stream of qualified individuals into the workforce while aligning with the needs of the business community,” he added.

The system helps headmasters, teachers, parents and students to first assess students’ interests, passion and then skills before picking a career.

Claude Nzitabakuze, the deputy director general in charge of teacher development and management at Rwanda Education Board, said developing a sustainable career guidance system will generate qualified human resource for national development.

The programme will be implemented in 130 schools across the country.

Valens Mushizimana, the career guidance advisor at Lycee de Kigali, said they had observed that many students choose options to pursue beginning with A ‘Level (from Senior Four-Six) only to request to change the option later.

He, however, said the new programme is heavily reliant on internet connectivity, which is often times a challenge in schools. "When there is no internet, the system does not work. There is need to boost internet connectivity in schools.”

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