President Paul Kagame has called for a "revolution” in Rwanda’s education system so as to nurture highly qualified human capital that can pave the way for the country’s economic transformation.

Kagame said this yesterday while delivering the State of the Nation address at the opening of this year’s Umushyikirano.

Education took centre stage in view of the fact that for Rwanda to become a knowledge-based economy with highly qualified human capital, addressing the education’s quality gaps should be the nation’s top priority.

"I believe that a revolution in the quality of education, at all levels, must be among our highest priorities,” Kagame said.

The President’s comments were echoed by Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente.

While underlining key components of the National Strategy for Transformation, Premier Ngirente said that there is need to continuously empower education sector if it is to deliver Rwanda’s desired development agenda.

The two-day dialogue, underway at Kigali Convention Centre, brought together over 2000 participants from across Rwanda and from Rwandan communities abroad.

Some 3000 youth attending this year’s YouthConnekt Convention that opened on Sunday at Petit Stade in Remera, Kigali, and several Rwandans from different sites across the country are also following the proceedings and sharing their views via video link.

The President also shared the progress the nation has made this year in various sectors, including agricultural growth of 8 per cent, increase by 50 per cent of exports, resulting from Made-in-Rwanda strategy, and a reduction by more than 20 per cent of the trade deficit.

Other achievements listed by the President include more than 8,000 new manufacturing jobs created this year, US$1.5 billion dollars in new investment and infrastructure deals registered in 2017, including the ongoing construction of a new international airport in Bugesera, south of the capital Kigali.

On tourism, Kagame said that the country’s conference tourism strategy is bearing fruits with Rwanda hosting 169 international meetings this year alone.

The President also pointed to Rwanda’s security and peace as key to sustaining achievements and thanked Rwandans for their central role in the progress the nation has made to date.

The State of the Nation address was followed by a panel discussion entitled, "National Strategy for Transformation” that featured Uzziel Ndagijimana, the Minister of State in charge of Economic Planning; Louise Mushikiwabo, Minister for Foreign Affairs; and Clare Akamanzi, CEO, Rwanda Develoment Board.

The second panel of the day focused on Rwandan values for prosperity and brought together Julienne Uwacu, the Minister for Sports and Culture; Dr Anita Asiimwe, Coordinator National Early Childhood Development Programe; and Dr Augustin Iyamuremye, Chairman Rwanda Elderly Advisory Council.

The chairperson of Rwanda Civil Society Platform, Jean Leonard Sekanyange, told The New Times that this year’s dialogue was inclusive and centered on addressing national transformation issues other than "petty” personal issues, which he said demonstrates progress.

On the education sector, Sekanyange noted that, "the government needs to focus on skills development rather than theory-based training in order for the country to cultivate more innovative ideas that will shape the future of the country.

The two-day dialogue ends today, with discussions on the role of the youth in national transformation.

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2017 AT A GLANCE