EASTERN PROVINCE NGOMA — Lecturers in the country have been called upon to ensure quality education in tertiary institutions in order to put to reality the country’s Vision 2020. The call was made last Friday by Senators Stephanie Mukantagara and Jean Rugagi Nezurugero during their one day visit to Kibungo University, commonly known as UNATEK. Mukantagara is the vice president of the Senate Commission in charge of welfare. While meeting the university administration and students’ body, the law makers said there was need for quality education in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the education sector. By 2015, according to the MDG, 10% of the country’s population is expected to be graduates. “Rwanda needs a human resource base boasting of capability, competence and competitiveness if it is to achieve her goals,” Nezurugero said. “But having 10% of the graduates who are just in numbers without quality will not lead us to Vision 2020. We should therefore take into account the requirements of the MDG while ensuring quality input and output in education,’ he added. Among other issues discussed during the meeting included the functioning of the university and problems that may be hindering its proper running. The Rector, Father Dominique Karekezi, cited inadequate infrastructure and shortage of lecturers among the problems facing them. UNATEK has over 3,500 students 70% of them attending weekend programmes. It has about 55 lecturers with 38 of them permanent, 10 being special contractors while others are part time staff. Father Karekezi, said that lecturers should not be confined to particular universities but should be encouraged to work part time in other universities in order to address the problem of manpower in the country. He appealed to the government to enable the institution to acquire capital to fund its expansion. Due to infrastructure challenges, the university uses the St Joseph Primary School and Eto Kibungo buildings as lecture rooms, especially for evening and weekend students. The Ministry of Education and the Ngoma district authorities have previously promised to give the university Rwf.60m and Rwf.30m respectively for infrastructure building, but the funds are yet to be received. Started in 2003, UNATEK has passed out about 900 students but they are yet to graduate because the university is yet to get full accreditation. Meanwhile, it emerged that the university has not obtained officially the land on which it is operating. Present at the meeting was Faustin Musare, a consultant in the President’s office who is also the President of UNATEK administrative board. Ends
