Diaspora students embark on civic education

The Minister of Education Daphrose Gahakwa yesterday called upon the country’s youth to be more innovative and competitive if they are to fulfil what the country expects from them. Gahakwa made the call yesterday while officiating at the opening of a two-week civic education workshop of 150 Rwandan youth studying in universities abroad which started at Rwanda Military Academy in Gako. “The Government puts emphasis on the youth because they constitute 60 percent of the country’s population. But more especially you are university students, you are not just youth but you are the cream. You are equipped with knowledge and skills, you are strong and energetic. The country expects a lot out of you.” Gahakwa challenged. The undergraduate students from different universities across the globe will be sensitised on the roles they can play in the country’s development. It is the 3rd Civic education programme in the arrangement of bringing together Rwandan students in universities outside Rwanda. Gahakwa said that the plan is to have as many Rwandan students studying abroad as possible, to make them appraise and be conscious of country’s current development issues, challenges and future plans in order to keep them updated of their potential role and participation in building of the country upon completion of the studies. The Executive Secretary of the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC) Fatuma Ndangiza urged the students to love their country and become its ambassadors in the countries where they study. Fatuma, who is Rwanda’s ambassador-designate to Tanzania, said that there is a new plan in future to organise National Youth Service for all graduates where all Rwandan students upon graduation will be doing voluntary work for the benefit of the country from six months to one year. The students will undergo physical training and drills to equip them with self defence skills before undergoing lectures from different national leaders on how to be patriotic, the historic background of the country and the possible role they can play in the country’s progress. The workshops are organised under the Students’ Financing Agency of Rwanda (SFAR), NURC and the National Civic Education Taskforce (Itorero ry’igihugu), MINEDUC, MINADEF and MINAFFET. Ends