SOUTHERN PROVINCE

MUHANGA — the minister of labour and public service Prof. Manasseh Nshuti last Friday presided over the first graduation ceremony of public servants at the Rwanda Institute of Management and Administration [RIAM]
Prof. Nshuti conferred degrees to 27 graduates of masters in public administration, the first group of Rwandans to be awarded masters in public administration at the Institute.

The 27 were selected from different government institutions and successfully completed a three-year course leading to the award of masters from the Canadian National School of Public Administration [ENAP].

 Nshuti said: "knowledge and skills is the only way in which Rwanda will become a competitive state in a fast growing world”.

He also urged the group to be exemplary in service delivery and set a model for other countries, adding that: "Rwanda needs mass education, which is an agent of development. You have to work with determination, commitment and resilience above all.”

The training was implemented by the Canadian government in collaboration with the Rwanda Government –RIAM, geared towards improving professionalism and public administration skills in Rwanda, according to Marc Kabandana, the RIAM Director.

This is also the first group to be awarded post graduate qualifications outside Canada, a program which was adopted in the Rwandan context.

"This is historical and my first time to see a graduation with many government officials.

That means that the government has interest in promoting professionalism among administrators” said Marcel Proulx, the Director general of ENAP.

Proulx said: "since the government is supportive, it is important that the graduates become action- driven in order for Rwanda to become an efficient state.

Public administration is a major development element in that regard. Without a strong group of elite and competent administrators, you cannot build an efficient state.”

He cautioned the graduates that: "action without reflection doesn’t go any further, and reflection without action is futility; however, action and reflection have to be reconciled and administrators have to be oriented towards action.”

Held at Murambi, the function was also graced by other high ranking government officials including local government minister Protais Musoni, Protais Mitali [commerce], information minister Laurant Nkusi, state minister for primary and secondary education Joseph Murekeraho among others.

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