Teachers to train in entrepreneurial skills

Local high school teachers are set to benefit from entrepreneurial knowledge and skills to be provided through the Babson-Rwanda Entrepreneurship Educators Network that is run by US based Babson College in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Rwanda Education Board (REB).

Thursday, August 02, 2012
John Rutayisire.

Local high school teachers are set to benefit from entrepreneurial knowledge and skills to be provided through the Babson-Rwanda Entrepreneurship Educators Network that is run by US based Babson College in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Rwanda Education Board (REB).The training will be offered through the Babson-Rwanda Entrepreneurship Centre that was established in 2010. According to a statement from Babson College, the teachers will receive skills through Babson’s unique approach to teaching entrepreneurship, ongoing support as well as access to teaching materials and other resources."Entrepreneurship is a required course in all secondary schools in Rwanda, and through the network, Babson hopes to help create and shape thousands of future entrepreneurs in the country,” reads part of the statement.Babson College currently operates its programmes in Rwanda and Ghana designed to create more entrepreneurial cultures in the two countries.The programmes involve teaching students about entrepreneurial thought and action while also training teachers who teach entrepreneurship to be more effective.Apart from training teachers, the Babson team offers entrepreneurial and leadership skills to about 100 talented high school students in each country. Students participate in small, engaged topic sessions on entrepreneurship and leadership skills.The programme leads students to develop and deliver a business idea during a final Rocket Pitch Competition, where they compete for prizes and the possibility of seed funding for their ideas.Speaking to The New Times, the Director General of Rwanda Education Board (REB), Dr. John Rutayisire, said the programme is crucial towards advancing entrepreneurship education in the country."We are going to meet the Babson team and discuss how we shall commence the training of high school entrepreneurship teachers,t especially the modalities of training, technical support and other resources needed,” he stated. Rwanda considers entrepreneurship development as a pillar that will contribute to economic growth of the country.Recently, Rwanda Development Bank (BRD) and the Private Sector Federation (PSF) intensified efforts to develop entrepreneurship in the country.