Students bag cash prizes in CMA University challenge

Olivier Mugwaneza, a fourth year accounting student at the School of Finance and Banking (SFB) had hopes of pursuing masters degree program, but he did not expect the opportunity to come when he is still struggling to finish his bachelors. After hearing of this announcement, he could not be more thankful.Mugwaneza is one of the more than 200 university students who participated in the just concluded Capital Markets Authority (CMA) University challenge competition. The School of Finance and Banking emerged the overall winner followed by the Catholic University of Rwanda, whiles the National University of Rwanda was ranked in the third place.The students, drawn from 15 universities countrywide, expressed varied opinions after the awarding ceremony last weekend.“This is something wonderful for me particularly and for general knowledge about the sector,” said Mugwaneza.Mugwaneza who scooped Rwf2.4 million for a masters program would prefer to pursue his studies from the same institution where he is completing his bachelors.He prefers post graduate studies in project management, risk management or credit management.In an effort to boost public education awareness campaign, CMA is taking the campaign to different sectors of society including secondary schools and universities.The students competed in essay writing and oral interviews conducted on television. The best students were awarded several prizes, including Rwf2.4 million for a masters program for the over all winner while others walked away with Rwf1 million to buy shares in any listed company on Rwanda’s stock market.David Butyibaruta, a student from NUR, is concerned about the fairness of the process and claimed the rules of the game were always disregarded.“The panelists were not consistent with the answers which we would give for the same question,” he said. “I don’t understand the criteria for giving out awards especially why essay writing carried bigger awards than oral television quiz.”However, Janet Mutesi, from SFB said her confidence enabled her to win Rwf1 million for investing in shares.“I am glad that I will be a shareholder in BRALIRWA, because the value of its share is high,” she said.Mutesi dismissed unfair claims, and attributed her win to their education.