THERE IS NEED to always keep education a top priority and responsive to the needs of the country, the visiting head of MasterCard Foundation has said. Reeta Roy, the president of the Canadian-based Foundation, was speaking during a meeting with education officials at the Education ministry in Kigali yesterday. “When we try to expand access to education for all, we should ensure that this meets the goals that are set for the future,” she said. “We are open to engagement with the ministry in developing ideas that could lead to finding solutions for any challenges.” MasterCard Foundation, through FAWE Rwanda, sponsors the education of hundreds of Rwandan schoolgirls, and provided $9.3 million toward the cause last year. So far, it supports 698 Rwandan scholars and another 502 are due to receive the comprehensive scholarship package later this year. Roy is on a five-day visit to Rwanda along with other senior members of MasterCard Foundation, including Board members Jendayi Frazer, the former United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, and Don Morrison, former chief operations officer of Blackberry. The team yesterday toured Fawe Girls School in Gisozi, Kigali, run by FAWE Rwanda, and is due to tour other schools hosting some of their scholars as well as tour other development projects they support around the country. “We shall hear all the stories from the young people but more so, from their parents who are proudly part of these achievements,” Roy told The New Times. Meanwhile, Morrison commended Rwanda’s efforts in developing infrastructure that serve to enhance education opportunities. He said such investments had eased access to education. He observed that booming cell phone usage across the country was linked to the same infrastructure that serves as a strong foundation for education. The State Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Olivier Rwamukwaya, praised the Foundation’s support in promoting girls education. “When you educate girls, the whole community benefits and this helps prevent many things such as unwanted pregnancies and school dropout,” he said. Statics show that 97 per cent of children have access to education. Rwamukwaya said such partners have made it possible for the government to concentrate more on improving the quality of education. “We are now focusing on science labs and equipment, especially for ICT, while in higher institutions, we are focusing on improving technology to meet the set targets by 2020,” the minister added. Dr Christine Gasingirwa, the director-general for science and technology at the Ministry of Education, said the government is also putting efforts in development research. “Since we usually train a few professionals outside the country because we don’t have those services here, such expenses will increasingly reduce with sustained technology transfer,” she said.
