For some time now the Government of Rwanda has been implementing a development agenda anchored on the skills and knowledge of the citizens. But for human capital to drive economic growth you need to create conditions that allow for creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship to thrive.

That ambition has largely informed the country’s development blueprints in recent years – including Vision 2020 – and it will continue to shape future growth strategies. Indeed, innovation and technological expertise are at the heart of the National Strategy for Transformation (NST) I as well as Vision 2050.

Globally, countries are increasingly positioning themselves for the Fourth Industrial Revolution – a stage of development that will be characterised by sophisticated technology in such areas as artificial intelligence, coding, robotics, nano-technology, cloud computing, internet of things, among others.

While discussions continue on the likely full impact of these developments on humans and the world, countries keen on not being left behind are investing in their people in a bid to give them some kind of upper hand in this complicated space.

That’s why the launch, over the weekend, of a robotics and programming centre in the capital Kigali could not have come at a better time. Designed for children aged between 3 and 17, the Keza Leaning Compass has been touted as a major addition to existing efforts to train a critical mass of future software developers, programmers and robotics programmers.

The young learners are also expected to receive mentorship and other forms of support in an effort to turn their ideas into viable start-ups, while they will also have access to technology licensing options and an opportunity of undertaking joint pilot projects with growth-stage start-ups in the country.

We hope that similar centres will increasingly be rolled out across the country to introduce these technologies to our youngsters to give them a much needed head start.

Most importantly, it’s critical that the plan to integrate these skills in the national curriculum is materialised as soon as possible to ensure that we equip the future generations with relevant skills.