Pupils in Groupe Scolaire de Gahanga are going to have another classroom block with the capacity to seat 46 pupils, fully furnished with desks and chairs and with a water collection tank added to their school by the opening of the second term.

The new smart classroom is a donation from Mount Kenya University Rwanda (MKUR) and was triggered off when the varsity’s Chairman and founder, Prof. Simon Gicharu met with the Mayor of Kicukiro Dr. Jeanne Nyirahamana and discussed issues regarding education in the district.

"Am really happy and I thank MKUR for the support they are doing in the education sector. When we meet with the founder of MKUR, he asked me where we needed support and I suggested the education sector. We do have congestion in classrooms at Gahanga and he decided to build a smart class for the school” said Dr. Nyirahamana

Students pose for a photo during the tournament orgarnised by MKUR

The construction of the classrooms which is in its final stages started in February this year and is likely to be complete by the end of May.

While supervising the progress of the construction on Tuesday 2/4/2019, the Vice Chancellor of MKUR Edwin Odhuno praised the speed at which work was being done and promised future cooperation between the school and the university.

"What we are doing is supporting pupils and students in education sector and Gahanga needed the smart classroom to reduce on the congestion. Am happy that the construction is on time and we shall continue to give support where necessary as a way of giving back to society” said Odhuno

The Vice Chancellor of MKUR Edwin Odhuno together with some members from MKUR staff supervising the progress of the construction at G.S Gahanga

The head master of G.S Gahanga Felix Niyitegeka thanked the management of MKUR for thinking about the school and building a classroom that was really needed to reduce congestion in class.

"We are really grateful for the good act from MKUR. The classrooms here are congested because of the number of students which is high. This is a good start and we believe, MUKR will always be with us as a partner in the education sector” Niyitegeka said

In line with the support in education sector, over 100 students from Imbuto Foundation are benefiting from Mount Kenya University’s Cooperate Social Responsibility program.  

MKUR students participating in Umuganda

Last year, Imbuto Foundation entered a five-year partnership with MKUR with an aim of providing education opportunities to brilliant but economically disadvantaged Rwandan students in secondary schools. Through this partnership MKUR contributed $150,000, which will be disbursed in five annual installments of $30,000, to support the education of 100 vulnerable students in secondary school through Imbuto Foundation’s Edified Generation scholarships programme.

In February this year, they received the second installment of their sponsorship from MKUR. The Rwf 26,850,000 million handed over to the foundation’s Director-General, Sandrine Umutoni, were part of Rwf 134, 250, 000 that MKUR will be paying over a period of five years.

In addition, the varsity will provide scholarships to brilliant girls – also beneficiaries of Imbuto Foundation scholars programme – every year for the next five years.

In an effort to promote East African integration, three of those scholarships will be used at MKUR-Kigali campus, while the remaining two will be allocated at the main campus in Nairobi.

Also the university is reacting to the lack of accommodation for university students by building a state of the art Hostel that will accommodate over 200 students and a wide swimming pool plus other facilities.   

According to Musisi Henry the Marketing and Corporate Director at MKUR, the varsity has a roll out program of donating exercise books to primary and secondary schools to benefit the less privileged.

"The program started last year in Kicukiro district and extended to other districts. So far over 100 schools have benefited in the roll out program” said Musisi

Under sports, the varsity has since last year organized Inter-secondary school tournaments with the aim of empowering the young generation through sports and sensitizing the youth on good governance.

"The university promotes sports. We sponsored the tournament that attracted 24 schools from the district with G.S Gatenga for the boys and G.S. camp Kanombe secondary school for girls emerging winners” said Musisi

MKUR also participates in communal activities such as Umuganda through clean up exercises.

"As a way of giving back to society, we have constructed a house for a widow in Nyamirambo and some members of the alumni contributed Mituelli de santé for twenty people in Kicukiro district” he added

Mount Kenya University is a chartered private university operating in the East African region, and a member of Inter-University Council of East Africa, African Association of Universities and Association of Commonwealth Universities.