KARONGI/GATSIBO - The classroom construction component meant to support the 9-year Basic Education programme in Karongi District got a major boost when students of Groupe Scholaire de Kibuye, joined the construction work last week.

The excited students looked eager to contribute to this government’s long term project that is entirely meant for their own benefit.

Speaking to The New Times, most of the students expressed optimism and readiness to help their school beat the end of year deadline that has been set for the completion of the classroom construction.

The school is expected to have built three classroom blocks to accommodate close to 100 extra students, with a student population currently at about 1000.

"The government has offered us an opportunity to study for free so we have to give a helping hand to make this a reality,” Anne Marie Umotoni, a primary six pupil said.

She added that contributing towards the construction process gives an individual a sense of ownership of the new programme.

The school’s head teacher, Innocent Kabengera, was overjoyed by the students’ attitude, stressing that with the additional manpower they would finish the construction well on time.

"Everybody here is committed to achieve the set goals and targets,” he said.

Meanwhile in Gatsibo all residents with financial ability in Kabarore sector will also contribute towards classroom construction to support the programme in the area.

The sector executive secretary, Joseph Munyaburanga told The New Times that the sector’s latest advisory meeting agreed on amounts to be contributed by different categories of residents depending on an individual’s economic status.

"The meeting agreed that traders and other working class citizens in the sector should contribute Rwf3000 each, while local residents contribute Rwf2000. It is a move that is going on well,” he said last week.

At different construction sites which The New Times visited last week, the construction was at the foundation level in which engineers and technicians at the sites assured stakeholders that the work will be undertaken within set deadline as materials and residents’ support are available.

In Kabarore sector where four classrooms will be constructed, Jean Damascene Ntuyenabo, a construction supervisor in Kibondo cell, stressed that the construction process will be completed by November this year. 

"We have so far reached the foundation level and since we have gathered enough materials with qualified personnel, we are certain that we shall be able to beat the deadline,” he said.

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