Two district education officials arrested over teacher recruitment

Two directors in charges of education in Kayonza District have been arrested following investigations into the recent recruitment of teachers in the district, which have unearthed gross malpractices. Xavier Francois Bizimana, the district director of education, and Charles Namara Mugabo, the director in charge of secondary, and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), were arrested Monday following complaints filed by some applicants, who claimed that they had passed interviews, yet their names had been omitted from the list of successful candidates submitted to Rwanda Education Board (REB). The matter was reported to the police for immediate investigation, by REB. The Rwanda National Police (RNP) spokesperson for the Eastern Province, Inspector of Police Emmanuel Kayigi, said that during investigations, it was found that the duo had allegedly altered the results in favour of “majority candidates who had failed.” “The district was recruiting 62 teachers, and as is the norm, supervisors marked the tests right at the venue, and results indicating both successful and unsuccessful candidates were submitted to the two district directors, who were in charge,” said IP Kayigi. “But it later emerged that the results submitted by supervisors were different from those received by REB, which were actually forwarded by the suspects. During the ongoing investigations and physical evaluation, we found out that examination papers of 32 candidates who actually failed the interviews, were altered in their favour,” he added. Preliminary investigations indicate that on some answer sheets, one of the unsuccessful candidates had scored 9 per cent, but the marks were altered by adding digit 6 to make it 96 per cent, while another one who had scored 33 per cent was in the submitted list given 93 per cent. “There are three criminal aspects involved; forgery as stipulated under articles 609 and 611 of the penal code; corruption as stated under article 634, and making a decision based on favouritism, friendship, hatred or nepotism under article 647,” said Kayigi. It is said that the two directors were soliciting between Rwf200, 000 and Rwf300, 000 from each candidate that was irregularly put on the list of successful teachers. “We appeal to the general public to stand up for their rights. People should know that they have a right to lodge a complaint if they feel you are not satisfied with a certain service. When you make it your point to say no to corruption and report anyone involved, you will be supporting the political will, the constitution and the police in efforts to stamp out the vice,” Kayigi said. “Imagine a situation where teachers recruited are not qualified and not up to the task, that means we will be killing the education system and producing incompetent manpower.” “Zero tolerance to corruption in Rwanda is a matter of policy. We call upon the public to come forward and expose such individuals.”

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Two district education officials arrested over teacher recruitment