The Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Rwanda Chapter on Sunday held its seventh General Assembly at FAWE Girls’ School in Gasabo district.

FAWE is an NGO bringing together African women, Ministers of Education, officials in charge of education, and other decision makers in matters of education.

According to FAWE Rwanda’s Chairperson, Rhona Nyakurama, the purpose of the General Assembly was to give reports of the 2008 activities to the members of the forum and to discuss those of next year.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Education, the acting Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Claver Issa commended the organisation’s efforts in the development of education.

"The special education policy which targets all children with special needs is a policy we have been working to develop fully with FAWE and the Ministry of Education has been enjoying the support from FAWE Rwanda,” he said in his speech.

He also said that FAWE Rwanda has contributed much to the National steering committee in the promotion of girls’ education where schools competed and those who won awarded prizes with the help of the First Lady.

Issa also challenged the participants to always be ambitious and aim higher if Vision 2020 is to be achieved.

Nyakurama also revealed that among FAWE Rwanda’s objectives is participating fully in the development of education.

She explained that one of the ways of achieving this objective was through establishing more centres of excellence such as FAWE Girls’ School which has worked as a model school in promoting girl-child education.

She also revealed that since the establishment of the school, close to 86 percent of the girls who have passed through it have been able to join higher institutions of learning.

According to Nyakurama, FAWE Rwanda has been able to mobilise for girls’ education at primary and secondary school levels with girls at Primary school level now at 52 percent.

She, however, expressed concern over the declining numbers when it comes to joining higher institutions of learning. She explained that for the gender disparity problem to be solved, there was need for the people’s mindsets to be changed and creating awareness among parents who still think that there is inequality between the girl and boy-child.

FAWE Rwanda is currently sponsoring 6,555 students in 62 schools around the country.

Ends