The Northern Province’s five districts are perhaps the most common hosts of Rwanda’s higher education institutions.
Before 1994, the current Northern Province comprised of the then areas of Ruhengeri and Byumba, whereas some of its regions were counted in the capital city of Kigali. This prefecture had only three higher education institutions which were Busogo Higher Institute of Agriculture And Livestock (ISAE Busogo), as well as the University of Rwanda’s College of Arts and Languages and Rutongo Major Seminary.
However, since 2000, more universities, colleges, and higher education institutions emerged in this the mountainous province of Rwanda, which gave a boost to the access to education in the locations.
General education
As of 2021, there are 13 universities and higher education institutions which make for almost half in Rwanda, and which has nurtured more than 22,000 graduates.
The institutions are Byumba Technology and Arts University (UTAB) in Gicumbi, University of Rwanda’s College of Agricultural and Veterinary Medicine (CAVM), and the Institute of Applied Sciences (INES Ruhengeri). There is also Rwanda Polytechnic, the University of Kigali, and Muhabura Integrated Polytechnic College.
Others include the newly established University Global Health Equity Butaro (UGHE) in Burera, Ruli Institute of Nursing and Midwifery in Gakenke, Rutongo Major Seminary and Rutongo Mining College in Rulindo. Rwanda Polytechnic is also located in Tumba sector, Rulindo District.
Apart from general education institutions, there are also plenty of military and police colleges in the same province, some of which provide international degrees.
In 2012, President Kagame inaugurated Rwanda Defense Force Command and Staff College in Nyakinama, Musanze District. Eight years later, he also inaugurated Rwanda National Police College in the same district.
Many policemen in service today have passed through the college as well as the peacekeepers abroad.
The college is in partnership with the University of Rwanda such that students can attain up to a Master’s degree. Military personnel from more than 22 countries have attended this college.
According to Dancille Nyirarugerero, the Northern Province Governor, investors’ initiatives and the government’s swiftness to facilitate them is a commendable effort.
"We are commending the efforts of the investors and the government for having given this province a thought and increased the access to education for our children. Otherwise, students used to drop out or were limited in their academic endeavours,” she says.
She also highlights the impact of the education opportunities, "Graduates of these colleges are found in all sectors of life, working for the government or privately and this inspires us to do more.”
Dr Ndahayo Fidele, Vice Chancellor of UTAB, also commends the country’s progress which is a result of the efforts invested in the education sector, whose results are now visible in the smallest province of Rwanda after the capital.
"Most of the current farmers are our former students who are facilitating normal citizens to scale up their yield, embracing technological innovations to drive up the country’s economy. So, this is one of the results of access to education,” Ndahayo says, citing that the journey is not yet over.
The colleges attended have provided students with 21st-century skills that were needed on the market, along with the recommendable values and virtues in society.
"The studies we took opened up our eyes to envision some of the opportunities that most people couldn’t see, and we used that to come up with new ideas or revolutionise the existing ones. Some of us are start-up owners and others are serving the government in different functions due to the lessons we took,” says Esperance Nyirabakobwa, a graduate in civil engineering at INES Ruhengeri.