The United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DfID) has boosted the ongoing campaign to build classrooms for the Nine –Year Basic Education (9YBE) programme with a £5million grant (approx. Rwf5bn).

The funding was announced on Thursday by the DfID Director for East and Central Africa, Joy Hutcheon, while on a two day-visit to the country.

Hutcheon said this at Groupe Scolaire de Butamwa in Mageragere sector, Nyarugenge district where she had gone to lay a foundation stone on an extension structure to host the programme at the school.

According to Hutcheon, the funds will support the construction of 700 of the planned 3,172 new classrooms around the country and also help accelerate the training of teachers in English as a medium of instruction.

"I would like to congratulate the government of Rwanda for its achievements in the education sector, and for the determination with which it is implementing the 9-Year Basic Education Policy,” she said.

"The UK Government is proud to be associated with this success and looks forward to working with Rwanda in strengthening the quality of education, and continuing its drive to providing equitable access to education for all children.”

The State Minister in charge of Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Mathias Harebamungu, welcomed the funding from the British.

"We welcome the support from the UK Government. DFID remains a trusted partner in the education sector and we really appreciate their continued support in providing quality education to our children,” said Harebamungu.

He added that the funds have already been disbursed and are being used in the construction of the classrooms which are expected to be completed before this year ends.
DfID is currently the lead donor in the education sector.

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