The Agence pour la Sécurité de la Navigation Aérienne en Afrique et à Madagascar, or Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA), an air traffic control agency based in Dakar, Senegal, has unveiled a scholarship competition aimed at training new airport firefighters to serve at Kigali International Airport.
In a statement signed by Apolin Kqmguem Magoefresenta, the representative of ASECNA in Rwanda, it was announced that a scholarship competition will be conducted in Kigali.
The competition aims to recruit and train young girls and boys possessing the necessary skills in air firefighting at the Regional School of Fire Safety (ERSI) in Douala, Cameroon.
According to the statement, the eligibility criteria for the scholarship programme includes holding a Secondary School Certificate (A2) with a focus on science subjects such as mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, electronics, mechanics, and information technology. Additionally, candidates for the scholarship programme must present a valid physical and medical fitness certificate from any public hospital in Rwanda, not exceeding three months in validity.
Furthermore, candidates must possess a category C driving license, allowing them to operate vehicles weighing at least 26 tonnes. Alternatively, a valid category B license with a minimum of one year of experience will suffice.
However, obtaining a category C driving license is a prerequisite before admission to training.
Applicants must also meet certain age, height, and weight requirements.
"They should be no older than 28 years by December 31, 2024, with a minimum height of 1.60 meters and a minimum weight of 60 kilograms,” the statement added.
Interested candidates are urged to register online at www.ersi-asecna.com and submit all required documents starting on April 4, 2024. The deadline for online registration is set for April 28, without exception.
The statement indicated that only candidates selected from the online registration would be invited to physically submit their applications and do exams from June 24 to June 28. The exams will cover subjects including physical education and sport (EPS), driving, mathematics, French, and English.
ASECNA has set elimination grades for each subject.
Candidates scoring below eight out of 20 in EPS or below 10 out of 20 for driving will be immediately disqualified.
Similarly, a score below five out of 20 in other subjects will lead to elimination.
Consequently, candidates failing to meet the elimination grade in EPS will not proceed to the driving test, and those failing the driving test will not advance to the theoretical exams.