Aptech Limited, one of the global leaders in ICT learning solutions, recently opened its branch in Rwanda with two centres:  Aptech Computer Education and Aptech English Learning Academy. The institution aims to churn out Rwandan ICT professionals not only for the Rwandan market, but also the entire East African region and beyond. The Sunday Times’ Frank Kanyesigye caught up with Arjun Mohandas, the institution’s technical director, who talked about Aptech’s prospects in Rwanda among other issues. Excerpts below:

Briefly tell us about the company you represent here The Indian Information Technologies Rwanda Ltd has taken a franchise from Aptech, the global leader in Information technology (IT) education, to train IT and English in Rwanda. Aptech has been functional since 1986 and now boasts of 26 years of experience in computer training. It has trained over 6.4 million people across the globe. Aptech proudly stands out as an education institution which is more aligned and connected to the youth of today and aware of  the changes in their educational needs. Aptech was the first IT training and education concern in Asia to get an ISO 9001: 2000 certification for Education Support Services in 1993.What attracted you to Rwanda?When our chairman, the former Indian honorary consulate general in Rwanda who also served as the Indian high commissioner visited Kigali to present our credentials to President Paul Kagame, the head of state expressed his wish for Indian higher institutions of learning to operate here, especially Aptech, due to its immense success in Kampala. What is so unique about your institution?We have outstanding infrastructure, qualified and experienced staff, certified faculties, as well as industry relevant curriculum built on global market research. Our philosophy is to deal with the increasing demand for vocational training. We want to anticipate, understand and address unique needs for the education system in Rwanda. We chose Aptech because of its strong credentials and presence not only in India but also all over the world. They have more than a decade of experience on the African continent with training centres in Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana, Mali and Sudan. We are expecting to deliver more efficiently and bridge the skill requirement gap in the IT sector in Rwanda. We believe Aptech will continue to support us in delivering the best to our education system.Apart from Rwanda, where else can you be found?Globally there are more than 1,300 Aptech centres across 40 countries. In Africa we are in Uganda, Nigeria, Tanzania, Sudan, Senegal, Ghana, Mali and Ghana.How affordable are your courses?Basically, we are promoting a career course at the moment; it is called ACCP (Aptech Certified Computer Professional) providing ADSE (Advanced Diploma in Software Engineering). We have credit transfer facility to the final year of Middlesex University in the United Kingdom to obtain a Bachelors of Science degree in software engineering. The net course fee for the 3-year ACCP course is $4,500.  We have an inaugural 20 per cent scholarship offer to students who register before November 1, 2012 when our classes kick off. Tell us more about the courses offered at your institution, duration of study…At the moment, like I said earlier, we are offering an advanced diploma in software engineering, which is a three-year course. The foundation of this curriculum is based on global market research. We also have a separate brand, Aptech English Learning Academy, which offers six-month courses.  What is your mission and vision?Our mission is "Empowerment Through Technology”. Our target is to equip Rwandan youth with relevant skills and knowledge that will enable them to become strong assets in the IT arena. Our vision is to put Rwanda on the IT map of the world and support Vision 2020 of the government through enhancing ICT skills of young Rwandans and promotion of innovation.How do you find the investment climate in Rwanda?It is excellent and there is a promising and bright future for us to expand our investments.How many students has your institution registered so far? And what is your target for 2012?We have received 980 enquiries so far, of which many have expressed interest to join us. We expect as many as 250 students in the maiden class of 2012.I can see the space here is very small compared to the number of students interested in enrolling at your institution. Do you have any plans of acquiring bigger premises?Of course we are in the process of finding ourselves a suitable location to have our own premises with wider infrastructure. We have initially chosen this location because it is in the heart of Kigali City, facilitating easy travel for both students and professionals to attend classes. Besides that, classes run for two hours per batch daily. So, six classrooms are enough for six batches with 20 students in each. The total training capacity would be 720 students per day. We feel this capacity is good enough to start with. Who is eligible to enroll for your courses? Candidates who obtained A2 level (successfully completed secondary school and above) are eligible to enroll for our courses.How do you see the future of your IT training centre in Rwanda’s environment? Do you see any challenges ahead of you in this country?The future of IT in Rwanda is very bright; therefore the centre also has a bright future. Challenges are always there – everywhere, in every field. Therefore, it is our duty to face them and continue providing quality education. How much are you going to invest in your institution?We have already invested in about $250,000. However, it is estimated that total investment will be about $300,000.Anything else you may want to add?We wish the Government and media would take initiative to make Rwandans aware about the need for IT knowledge and expertise, so that Rwanda would become self-sufficient in ICT and an important IT hub with multitudes of job opportunities.