A Cabinet meeting chaired by President Paul Kagame, yesterday, gave the National University of Rwanda (NUR) the green light to offer seven post-graduate courses.

The programs at Masters & Post Graduate Degree level will include, Masters of Arts in Development Studies, Msc. Accountancy Program, Masters in Peace and Conflict Resolution and MSc. Business Management.

The others include Master’s degree program in Genocide studies, Msc. in Applied Mathematics, Post Graduate program in Geo-information Systems and Post Graduate program in Biodiversity Conservation.

The approval comes at the time when an ad hoc committee of parliament set up last year to scrutinise the challenges within the institutions of higher learning, released a report indicating massive shortages in terms of infrastructure and teaching staff.

In an interview with The New Times, the Rector of NUR Prof Silas Lwakabamba admitted that the University indeed is experiencing shortfalls in terms facilities, but added that the university is working with the Government to address the issues.

"We are going to start as soon as everything is in place. Some of the courses were supposed to begin earlier but because we had to put something in place, they delayed. Some of the courses will begin by June,” Lwakabamba said.

He added that the university is working around the clock to put everything in place so that the programs start as quickly as possible.

"People have already shown interest in these courses, which means we should start soon since the cabinet has approved them,” Lwakabamba added.

In a related development, the Cabinet also appointed William Nkurunziza as Rwanda’s new High Commissioner to India.

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