EASTERN PROVINCE

RWAMAGANA—Ntsinda Vocational Training Centre, the only school for skills-development in Rwamagana district, has determined to open up its doors to all and make their aim universal, not only local.

Speaking during a recent visit to the school, director Hodali Biraboneye has said that there is ‘nothing’ they can’t teach.

"In addition to two-year courses in tailoring, construction and mechanics, a new course of metal fabrication (welding) has been introduced at the school,” Biraboneye said. Patrick Byabagamba, a resident of Ntsinda, said the school and its widening array of classes was ‘vital’ to the community.

"There are many school dropouts in the area that could have turned into bandits if the school had not been in the area. The school has been helpful in training youth in skills development,” Byabagamba said.

The centre’s director of development, Neil Jennings, revealed that, apart from a few challenges as reliance on overseas aid, the school had "achieved a lot in short period of time.”

"Unlike other rural schools, Ntsinda VCT now is connected to full electricity and is currently constructing a 50-bed dormitory building scheduled to be completed before the start of the 2008 academic year,” Jennings said.

With all facilitation in place, the school’s administration has called upon students to turn up in big numbers for the new year.

Ntsinda VCT was built under the auspices of Children’s Care and Protection in Rwanda  in 1998. Since then, the centre has been instrumental in providing training to young people in Eastern Province, especially school dropouts who were unable to access mainstream government education.

Unity of Children, a UK-based charity organization has been the main funder of the school’s activities. Other funders of the school include the Swiss, UK and US Embassies.

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