The Ministry of Education is planning to introduce career guidance in schools to encourage girls enrol in science and technology disciplines.

Speaking to The New Times on Tuesday, the Minister of Education, Dr Charles Murigande, said the career guidance training will be introduced to motivate students, especially girls, to choose science subjects and courses of value in secondary schools and higher institutions.

"We have already introduced this system at Kigali Institute of Education; students studying education are being trained to offer career guidance counselling and by the time they complete, they will be in position to encourage girls in primary and secondary schools to consider science subjects,” said Murigande.

He added that the training will also centre on gender-inclusive education for tutors in teacher-training institutions and in-service training for teachers in primary and secondary schools hence mentoring to encourage girls to realize that they can succeed in science-related careers.

According to the ministry, it is in through science that Rwanda will be transformed into a knowledge-based economy by ensuring that its most talented young people develop the required knowledge and competences.

According to available data, currently only about a third of students in Rwanda in public institutions of higher learning are girls and only one-fifth taking science, mathematics and engineering degrees.

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