THE CHALLENGES OF UNIVERSITY EDUCATION REQUIRE MANY PLAYERS

The government is considering turning to the private sector in an effort to boost university facilities, according to Dr. Charles Muligande, Minister of Education. Appearing before senators, the education minister revealed that the available facilities, in our universities, cannot support the number of students enrolling. Universities the world over, turned to the private sector, for many reasons including the need to provide facilities like accommodation for students. More still, universities do enter partnerships with well developed industrial companies, in financing joint research projects. That Rwanda is planning to adopt such a model for supporting university education, is testimony to the fact that there is a realization, that such cannot be ignored by a country that fully understands, and appreciates the need for a well developed human resource base. It has to be appreciated that providing quality and relevant university education is a challenging endeavor. In fact some of the best known private universities in the world largely depend on endowment funds from rich members of society and Foundations. It is important that our universities adopt time tested methodologies of raising funds, like through attracting endowments from philanthropists both at home and abroad. The National University of Rwanda, which has existed considerably longer than many other universities in Rwanda, boasts of many alumni who have done well by themselves in society, here and abroad. As such, these people must be tapped as sources of support and also in attracting friends for the institution. This can also go for other universities that have lately developed in the country. For example the university convocations could play a more significant role in the management of universities. Moreover, they could undertake projects like construction of private hostels for students. This is an investment that is guaranteed to succeed both financially because of the demand, and in terms of social responsibility which is a way of giving back to an institution that helped to shape many. Ends