NYARUGENGE - The African Development Bank has offered U$ 8.8m (approx. Rwf 4.9b) to support science and technology in skills development in Rwanda. The funds will be channelled through the national budget. 

Major projects include facilitating the opening of the school of Environmental planning and Design (SEPAD) at KIST and promoting female access to science and technology at tertiary education level.

"As you may be aware, the critical shortage of skilled labour has been highlighted in the EDPRS as a major impediment to attaining economic growth,” said Diko Mukete, ADB Resident Representative. This was during the signing ceremony at the Ministry of Finance in Kigali.

The project is expected to create a collection of technicians, land and quantity surveyors, architects, planners and urban designers.

It will complement the government’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) policies, and Gender in education policy of this year, promote and increase the ratio of women in the science and technology fields in higher education and their retention until graduation.

More than 300 scholarships are expected to be distributed to architects either in technical schools or universities.

Minister of education Daphrose Gahakwa expressed her appreciation and said that the fund will see women graduates increase further from 27 percent in previous years to 48 percent currently.

According to a press statement from ADB, the project is meant to advance the science, technology and industrial skill base in order to enhance economic growth and poverty alleviation.

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