The Minister of Education, Papias Musafiri, yesterday told the Parliamentary Committee on Education Youth and Technology that merging courses will address employability concerns raised by Microbiology students at the University of Rwanda.

Lawmakers had summoned him following a petition submitted to the House by former and current students of Microbiology at the College of Science and Technology.

The students argued that the course – in its current form - was no longer relevant and those who graduated were being shunned by employers. The department is only 10 years old.

"For students undertaking Microbiology, more courses in Biomedical Engineering will be added on current units to allow them to compete on the labor market in the future,” Musafiri said.

"Alumni in the same department will, upon their wish, enrich their skills at the College of Science and Technology to meet labor market requirements, on terms and conditions that will be agreed upon”.

However, some of them will have to pay the costs associated with taking on the extra courses.

"The cost implication to cover the course will be treated case by case as some may not be in position to afford,” Musafiri said, adding that the changes will be effected immediately.

While students who graduate in Microbiology eye laboratory jobs, they are turned down because they can’t get accreditation from medical professional bodies.

The preference for accreditation is given to students with diplomas from the College of Medicine and Health Sciences who are considered more qualified and better trained for laboratory work.

The minister believes that with the additional courses given to the Microbiology students, they will be well equipped to compete on the labour market.

MP Veneranda Nyirahirwa, the Deputy Chairperson of the committee, tasked the ministry to make sure that the affected students are informed on the latest progress and other important requirements to pursue complementary courses.

"This should also reach other workers in the medical field who had started working but risked losing their jobs over disqualification. The ministry will need to inform them on the way forward,” Nyirahirwa said.

In addition to merging Biomedical Engineering and Microbiolgy, the minister said that other courses were also being reviewed with the objective of giving students skills that are in line with the demands of the labour market.

For instance, students studying Accounting are required to take on professional courses such as the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) simultaneously.

"While students would spend more money and time on professional courses, upon completion of the degree programme, they are more qualified both academically and professionally,” Musafiri added.

He went on to assure the Lawmakers that there was an ongoing drive to tailor higher education to the needs of the labour market.

"There will be periodic review of the courses after three years to align them to the needs on the market,” Musafiri said.

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