Students of the University of Rwanda who sell off computers they got through government support could lose government scholarship, as one of the penalties, The New Times has learnt. University officials said out of 18,000 laptops distributed in the last academic year, some 1,000 were reportedly sold off by students. According to a document on frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the optional Laptop Acquisition Scheme sponsored by Rwanda Development Bank, regular physical verifications will be conducted at the campus level, including during final clearance before graduation, to check whether the laptops are still in use. ALSO READ: Rwanda rolls out over 18,000 laptops to schools in new push for smarter classroom Students who fail to present their laptops during verification will have their sponsorship suspended until they repay the laptop cost in full, with interest, according to the document. Failure to present the laptop during the final clearance before graduation will result in removal from the graduation list until repayment is made. It is indicated that a student fully owns the loaned laptop upon graduation. The government has since revised the contract signed by the students when they get the devices, including strict penalties for selling the laptops, such as repaying the full cost with interest, losing tuition and bursary support from the Development Bank of Rwanda, and being barred from graduation if the debt is unpaid. ALSO READ: Over 14,000 laptops to be distributed to varsity students to improve learning The Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Claudette Irere, who launched the distribution of laptops to government-sponsored students at the University of Rwanda Huye Campus on Tuesday, June 10, urged them to use the devices for academic purposes and not sell them. “These laptops are loans, not donations. Loans must be repaid,” said Irere. “We will follow up to ensure they are being used for their intended purpose. Some students sold them just a week after receiving them. These devices are meant to support your studies, not for you to sell them.” Over 6,000 laptops will be distributed across the University of Rwanda. The students are given Lenovo laptops. There are four options, Lenovo Notebook, Intel Core i3, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, which is valued at Rwf523,000, Lenovo Notebook, Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD (Rwf790,000), Lenovo Notebook, Intel Core i7, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD (Rwf1,050,000) and Lenovo Notebook, Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD (Rwf1,150,000). Students pledged to use the laptops responsibly. “It’s a shame that some of our colleagues last year sold laptops meant for studying,” said Ben Kwizera, a first-year student of economics. “We will not do the same.” Gad Emile, a first-year social work student, added, “It’s encouraging that these laptops support systems for students with disabilities. The new models can accommodate the necessary software, and this will help us in our studies.” Dr Raymond Ndikumana, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Strategic Planning and Administration, emphasised the importance of laptops for academic studies. “These laptops are educational tools,” said Ndikumana. “Beyond attending lectures, students can now conduct their research using the internet. This aligns with our student-centred learning approach, where the teacher acts as a facilitator, not expected to teach students everything.” He added that the laptops were distributed to the students according to the nature of their courses. For example, he said, students in architecture and computer engineering received high-performance devices, while others received standard models.
