A new initiative that will enable schools monitor students’ behaviour using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solutions has been unveiled. ‘Smart Parent’ will enable schools, particularly teachers, to track and monitor students’ behaviour while at school. Invented by Smart Initiative, a local IT company, the solutions will also provide daily SMS reports to parents on the status of their children during school time.

"This tool will help parents and schools to provide the best study environment for children given the high ICT penetration level in Rwanda, both in the urban and rural areas. It helps schools to communicate with parents, and also provides real time information to be used by government institutions as a measurement to guide development initiatives,” explained Olivier Karasira, the Smart Initiative chief executive.

Karasira was speaking at the launch of the initiative at the ongoing expo in Gikondo on Wednesday.

"There are high expectations from this project because the country is positioning itself as an ICT hub and driving towards a knowledge-based economy. Therefore, we need to embrace new technologies in different sectors to be able to achieve these goals.

"Besides, innovations, like this will contribute a lot towards advancing education, a key driver of development,” said Sister Helene Nayituriki, the principal of Lycée Notre Dame de Citeau.

Karasira said they would roll out the initiative to other parts of the country, adding that each classroom in the beneficiary schools would be equipped with a laptop and wireless connection.

"We are targeting to distribute the average of over 600 laptops per month. In partnership with different institutions including Positivo, BGH, and the government, we hope to equip scores of school with laptops countrywide,” said the Karasira, who is the brain behind the innovation.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw