The Ministry of Education yesterday officially launched the support to Skills Development in Science and Technology Project (SDSTP) worth $9 million (approximately Rwf51 billion).

The project is jointly sponsored by the government of Rwanda in partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Speaking at the launch, the Minister of Education, Dr. Charles Muligande, highlighted that the Faculty of Environmental Design will strongly contribute to existing academic programmes.

"The Programme will complement the Masters of Science in Geo-Information for Environment and Sustainable Development and the postgraduate Diploma in Land Administration which are being introduced in the National University of Rwanda,” Muligande said.

The project will contribute to addressing the shortage of science, technology and vocational skills which has been identified as major obstacles to economic growth in the country.

It is also expected to assist in building the specialized human capital base, particularly in the areas of architecture and environmental design by establishing the Faculty of Architecture and Environmental design (FAED) at the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST).

Through the research on new technologies and their dissemination in the rural communities, the project will promote entrepreneurship in the rural communities by providing them with improved technologies to address specific needs through the Centre for Innovation and Technology Transfer (CITT).

The mister also said that the project was in line with the government’s Vision 2020 statement and Economic Development Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS) of building science, technology and innovation capacity.

The project will also enhance female access to scientific and technological fields at the tertiary level and their retention until graduation. It will further improve the well-being of populations in Rwanda by providing relevant and innovative technologies and skills development programs to communities.

It will support a one-year preparatory program to facilitate the admission of 200 girls into science and technology programs in college and provide tutorial services to 293 girls to improve their academic performance in higher education.

The AfDB Resident Representative in Rwanda, Diko Jacob Mukete, pledged the bank’s continuous support to the government’s efforts to achieve social and economic development.

He added that this project is in line with the country’s EDPRS programme and consistent with the bank’s vision and its medium-term strategy, which seeks to support government policies in education.

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