Rwanda: Investing in training and education

Interior Minister, Roger Lewentz, has approved a state grant of roughly 140,200 Euro to the Rhineland-Pfalz/Ruanda e. V. (Rhineland-Palatinate/Rwanda) partnership association for two vocational education and training centres and a primary school in Rwanda.

"This will primarily allow the necessary workrooms and classrooms to be built and materials to be purchased for practical teaching units. An appropriate learning environment and level of equipment is, after all, the basis for successful learning regardless of whether it is a primary school or a vocational school," said Minister Lewentz.

120 pupils learn a skilled craft at the Centre for Vocational Education and Training in the Gatisbo District, established by the Congregation of Benebikira Sisters in 1982. The training provided includes the occupational areas of carpentry, bricklaying, cooking/hotel trade, metal construction, tailoring and farming. The products produced during the training are sold in regional markets and as a result contribute to the funding of the accredited vocational school.

The school is planning to newly construct and fit out a building which will include an office as well as two new classrooms in which a library and information technology (IT) room, initially with seven computers, are to be set up. On the one hand, the new computers will support the training content and on the other they will prepare the young people for the requirements of the world of work. Two additional rainwater cisterns will also improve the supply of water to the vocational school. The project is being funded by a state grant of approximately 29,100 Euro and a donation from the Alzey-Worms Rwanda Partnership sponsoring association of 7,300 Euro.

The Mwogo vocational education and training centre in the Nyamagabe district also trains young people in skilled crafts and provides training including carpentry, bricklaying, tailoring and automotive training.

The centre's financial resources are often not sufficient to be able to ensure appropriate material resources and good quality training. With the help of state funding of approximately 68,200 Euro and with support from the Karaba-Neuwied e. V. Partnership Association and Helft uns leben e. V. of 17,000 Euro, the vocational school is able to construct a building for carpentry training and furnish this as well as supplement existing equipment to support practical training. The additional materials and tools will improve the quality of training and create further opportunities for accepting external orders and thus generate additional financial funding for the school.

At the present time, approximately 1,400 children attend the Ntarama primary school in Nyabihu district. Many of the pupils at the primary school are orphans or children from poor backgrounds.

The school was established in 1981 by the Catholic Rambura parish. Although the school is very popular, it is unable to accept more pupils due to the space available. 11 of the 21 classrooms date back to when the school was established and are now dilapidated and, in some cases, can no longer be used for reasons of safety. The school also lacks desks.

In two sub projects, plans are in place for the overall construction of six classrooms plus furnishing, an office, a toilet block, and the installation of two cisterns. The first part of the project is being funded by a state grant of approximately 42,900 Euro and a donation of around 10,700 Euro from the Helmut Weimar Rwanda Foundation (Holzheim). The financial resources for the second part are being provided by the Fly & Help foundation.

The partnership between Rhineland-Palatinate and the Republic of Rwanda has existed since 1982. The underlying idea of a partnership which is decentralised and in touch with the people has remained unchanged to the present day. At present, 40 municipalities, 49 associations, foundations and organisations; 230 schools, three universities, five universities of applied science and many individual stakeholders from all areas of society actively maintain relationships with their Rwandan partners. In 2015 approximately 22 per cent of the funding used found its way into the school infrastructure in Rwanda.