KIGALI - Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) yesterday held its 6th graduation ceremony and 343 students were awarded Masters’ Degree, Bachelors and diplomas in different disciplines.

During the ceremony held at Jali Club, Kigali, the Minister of Education, who is also the Chancellor for public institutions, urged students to embark on self employment and contribute to the realisation of the Vision 2020.

"The country is going to depend heavily on your contribution if we are to realize the Vision 2020, you must venture into self employment,” Dr Daphrose Gahakwa told graduates, who included students who studied by correspondence.

She told them that as scientists, they should look forward to benefiting from regional integration which the country is embracing.

"You very well know that scientists have no boundaries but the country is making it easier for you by breaking barriers with neighbouring countries; you have to take advantage of that,” said Gahakwa.

She said that the Government is still committed to making KIST an international centre of excellence in science and technology.

The outgoing Rector of KIST, Prof Chrysologue Karangwa, said that despite the progress made by the institute, it was still faced with the problem of human resource, especially teaching staff.

"Many of our teaching staff were expatriates who have since resigned following the changes in remuneration,” said Karangwa, who was replaced by Prof. Abraham Appa Ogwu, during last Friday’s Cabinet meeting.

Meanwhile, Gahakwa told students that it is upon them to use diligently the knowledge from the expatriates so they could take over from them in future.

Through Gahakwa, President Paul Kagame awarded eight best students with scholarships for further studies.

Those awarded include seven students in Bachelors lot who would use the grants to pursue their Masters’ degrees, while the other beneficiary graduated with a Masters of Communication Management (MCM), and would therefore use the grant to pursue a PhD.

"I am so excited because when I came here this morning, I did not know that I would get this grant. I was looking for ways I could sponsor myself to further my studies,” said Simon Sibomana, who got a First Class Honors Degree in Computer Engineering and Information Technology (Bachelors).

He was also the second overall student after Janviere Uwimana, a female who obtained a Bachelor’s in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering.
In general, girls who were awarded Bachelor’s degrees constituted 20 percent while those with Masters were 13 percent.
Ends