Learning English to overcome communication challenges

“I can never wish to be a young boy, but whenever I used to hear some students speaking English fluently, I admired them,” says Bosco Nsengiyunva.The 30 year old says that he had always felt challenged o learn English, something that forced him to join one of the English training centers in Kigali.He adds that, “I knew that because of my determination, I would speak and write English at a certain point in my life time, no matter how long it would take or cost me.” Nsengiyunva is one of the learners at VIP English School in Remera Sector, Gasabo district. He has been at the centre for the last five months.The businessman deals in first class gentle men clothes, plying his trade between Kigali and Kampala.He says that he no longer experiences challenges he used to because he can now communicate in English. “Whenever I could go for business, I found my self in a very difficult situation especially in ordering for the goods and negotiating payments,” he says.He explains that the only language that could unite him with his suppliers was English as they could not speak Kinyarwanda.“Business issues are confidential, but sometimes, I had no option but to call other people to link me with and settle our differences with my suppliers.” Nsengiyunva explains that he never felt secure to remain ignorant as far as English is concerned.Although he has not completed studies yet, he says there is a big improvement in the way he conducts his business.He says that since he is now able to communicate, he independently bargains until he believes he is not trading in a loss.Nsengiyunva is not alone but many other people have joined evening classes in various learning centres to learn or improve on their English.Martin Hategekimana is another student at the centre. He is undertaking a degree course in civil engineering at the University of Lubumbashi one of the largest universities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.“As you well know, Rwanda has shifted to English as the medium of instruction, but it’s still French in Congo but this does not mean we do not need English,” he says. “My target is to utilize this little time I am to spend here to improve on my English or even get a certificate so that when I get back, I will be a small king amongst the others,” he boasts.He adds that, “I can not really say it’s a shame for a university student not to speak good English because we have been learning in French for almost the whole of our school life.” However, he pointed out that this should not be an excuse to lag behind. He adds “We must in the shortest time possible adopt or positively respond to changes that come with development. “Actually, we stand a big advantage of becoming more competitive in the job market since we shall be able to speak both English and French.”Hategekimana observes that although he is an aspiring civil engineer, life is all about green pastures, adding that he may even end up becoming a businessman.“The East African Community is spreading each other day but the only way we can benefit from the integration is being capable to compete with labour from other member countries,” he observes.He adds that good communication is a very important tool for ones` success in any undertaking no matter his location. The Director of VIP Centre, Pius Byonanebye says that the idea to come up with the school did not originate from having the needed capacity but desire to educate the public. “Learning is never late or too late. People must learn or get something new in their lives every other day to improve and build on their knowledge,” says Byonanebye.Byonanebye started the school in 2000 and currently, he has opened two other branches in Nyarutarama and Kacyiru. He says he still plans to expand more.