KIGALI - The Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) has rejected the School of Finance and Banking (SFB)’s request to provide them structural facilities for their 400 private students.

Earlier, the SFB’s vice Rector in charge of Academics, Prof. Erasmas Kaijage, had said in an interview with The New Times that they had contacted KIST for structural facilities for all their private students admitted on evening programmes for this academic year because they had limited facilities at their campus located on Mburabuturo Hill.

This request has however been rejected by KIST, with the reasons yet to be established, the SFB Rector Prof. Krishner Govender confirmed yesterday.

Sources said SFB was now stuck with private students and were in discussions with officials at APAPE Secondary School in Gikondo, for the required facilities.

The Rector however, explained that they had secured other premises where the students will study; from at businessman Tribert Rujugiro’s hall also located in Gikondo, a Kigali City suburb.

Asked why KIST turned down their request, Govender said he had no clue.

"It’s a management issue; the discussion was between board chairmen (of SFB and KIST),” Prof. Govender said, adding that they were not stuck and the students would continue with the programme as arranged with ‘orientation beginning Monday (today).’

The refusal by KIST however, has been interpreted as contradicting the Ministry of Education’s position, because Prof.

Kaijage had said it was the Ministry which instructed the SFB board chairman, Prof. Manasseh Nshuti, to discuss the matter with his KIST counterpart – partly in line with the sharing of available resources among institutions of higher learning.

And SFB had already drafted a Memorandum of Understanding outlining the modalities.

"We have already made a draft Memorandum of Understanding defining the modalities. Basically, it focuses on the number of rooms, what time we shall need them, any payments if any, maintenance and how to resolve any issues that may come up.” Prof. Kaijage had said, in an earlier interview.

The ministry of Education in 2005 made a decision of transferring students who were offering management courses from the KIST premises to SFB on the basis that KIST remains a science and technology institution.

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