HUYE – The annual National University of Rwanda education exposition opened yesterday with students exhibiting activities from the different centres and faculties of the University.

This year’s exposition under the theme: ‘Entrepreneurs in the making’ seeks to create a business mindset amongst the students’ community, according to the organisers.

Officially opening the two-day event, Education Minister, Dr Charles Murigande commended the university authorities for the innovation and urged them to take the exposition around the country and region.

"You have a lot of good work that needs to be exposed to the rest of the country and region,” the Minister said after touring the exposition stands.

He said that the university will be allocated space during the upcoming education exposition that will bring together countries in the East African Community.

As part of the activities, organisers held a business plan competition where students with the best business plans will be rewarded and helped to find funding to implement their plans.

"We want our students to market themselves by showing the general public what they are capable of doing,” said Gilbert Mucyo, one of the organisers of the exposition.

"This is an opportunity for our students to begin planning for life after university; it is time to begin thinking about what they will be able to do after college.”

According to Pamela Mudakikwa, a member of the organising team, the exposition also offers students the opportunity to display what is learnt in class.

"Students, in the different exposition stands are showing their parents and the general community that it is not all theory at the university, that they can turn the theory learnt in class into something practical,” she said.

The exposition is being partly sponsored by TIGO, a new entrant in to the telecommunication industry in Rwanda.

Saad Ngabo Kabera, the company’s public relations coordinator, said TIGO provides students with affordable products tailored to their needs.

"We are happy to associate ourselves with university students, we want to forge a strong business partnership with them by offering them services that suit their needs,” said Ngabo.

University students are being offered SIM cards at half the normal price and the TIGO 300 product has also been launched at the university.

"We are going to hold a raffle and winners will be able to walk away with numerous prizes,” Ngabo said.

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