The Government plans to spend Frw7.2billion on constructing new primary and secondary school classrooms, Education Minister Dr Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya, has disclosed.

Mujawamariya said yesterday that 400 classrooms, 900 primary and 100 secondary school buildings will be constructed in the next financial year.

This is part of the Government’s campaign to uplift academic standards in the country, she told MPs while appearing before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Budgetary Affairs.

Mujawamariya said Frw1.5 billion will be spent on promoting science and technology in both primary and secondary schools.

The ministry plans to spend Frw860 million on salaries for ICT expatriate teachers in secondary schools to encourage and promote a knowledge-based economy to achieve the EDPRS objectives, she said.

More school laboratories and libraries would be built to enable students get first hand information and practical lessons, the minister said.

She said the National University of Rwanda (UNR) will receive Frw5.5 billion to promote research programmes, boost its laboratory and library.

"We want to promote research centres in universities such that the country can use the findings to solve problems that have been identified,” she explained.

She added: "Many of our research go unnoticed, but we need to see how we can make it available to everyone who would want to use it.”

The School of Finance and Banking (SFB) will also get Frw1.113 billion to promote its management and Master’s programmes.

The funds would make it easier for Rwandan students access the institute’s Masters programme, which is quite expensive to many.

Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (Kist) will be allocated Frw3.3 billion, to promote science and technology.

Mujawamariya said that would reduce on the costs incurred by Rwandan students who go for similar courses abroad.

Sensitisation of students about the dangers of HIV/Aids is also given priority in all higher institutions of learning, she said.

Other allocations include Frw2 billion to Kigali Institute of Education (KIE), Frw3.2 billion for the Students Financing Agency for Rwanda SFAR and Frw199 million for the National Council for Higher Education.

MP Gédéon Kayinamura urged the ministry to constructing schools for physically impaired children especially in rural areas.

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