Rwanda and Zimbabwe on Thursday December 23 signed an agreement where the latter will send 306 teachers to Kigali as part of the efforts to strengthen cooperation and partnership between the two countries.

The development comes just two months after President Paul Kagame, during the two countries trade and investment conference, made the request.

Data from the Ministry of Education indicate that the group consists of 273 Technical and Vocational Training (TVET) teachers as well as 33 who will be deployed in Teacher Training Colleges (TTC).

The Minister of Education, Valentine Uwamariya, said that the deal was drafted in two stages starting with a focus on employment of Zimbabwean English and STEM teachers in Rwanda. 

"Thereafter, upon consultations with different institutions on the side of Rwanda and on the side of Zimbabwe it broadened its scope to focus on exchange of educational personnel and expertise,” she stated.

She disclosed that Rwanda already started the process of grabbing the opportunities embedded in the agreement.

"We want to start the implementation of this memorandum of understanding by requesting the Zimbabwean side to avail teachers who will be employed in Rwandan schools upon successful completion of the recruitment process,” she said.

Under the agreement, teachers will give lessons in associate nursing schools and the college of medicine and health sciences, the ministry said.

"It also allows Zimbabwe to explore possibilities for employing educational personnel and experts from Rwanda,” Uwamariya disclosed.

Human capital development is critical to delivering Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but even particularly the aspirations of the African Free Continental Trade Area, according to Paul Mavima, the Public Service, labour and social welfare Minister of Zimbabwe.

"This is a tangible step towards global integration. It is also firmly rooted in the aforementioned mutual vision of our leaders to explore wider cooperation in strengthening the human capital development.”

We commend Rwanda for recognizing the professionalism and work ethic of Zimbabweans, which has been witnessed in this exchange of education personnel and expertise, he added.

Schools in Rwanda reopen on January 10, as the country aims to plug learning losses registered under the just-concluded academic year characterised by pandemic-induced closures.