Rwanda as a country has set its priorities on science subjects and this is yielding results. According to data released by the Higher Education Council (HEC), 64.4 percent of the 9,968 students who qualified for government scholarships for the academic year 2019- 2020 pursued STEM courses. Yet more initiatives are coming up to complement the efforts. Last week at the University of Rwanda’s College of Science and Technology (UR-CST), a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) centre was launched, being the first of its kind to be set in Rwanda. This was established by STEMpower USA- a non-profit organisation that was founded by Mark Gelfand, a US-born Jewish, with the aim of helping students in developing countries access quality STEM education. According to organisers, the centre is expected to promote innovation among students pursuing STEM studies and equip them with hands-on lab-based education with emphasis on real-world problem solving and creativity. According to Kidist Gebreamlak, Executive Director of STEMpower, there is a plan to set up three more STEM centres in Rwanda in this year alone, and four more centres in coming years. Gaspard Twagirayezu, the Minister of State in Charge of Primary and Secondary Education, said the centre comes as a stepping stone to the country’s ambitions. “This supports Rwanda’s strategy to strengthen capacity building in STEM at all levels of education. A centre like this opens doors to young people who want to experiment, learn and create solutions using technology. It also bridges the gap of access to practical training that we still have in our schools and community,” he said. Fabrice Irankunda, a fourth year student in electronics believes that by having this facility, it will enable them as learners to put to practice what they have learned in theory and see how to connect it with real life. “With this STEM centre, we are optimistic that it will be of help since we have enough space and equipment to try new things and come up with new solutions,” he said. The centre is equipped with computer and electronic laboratories that will benefit secondary school students whose schools are located near UR-CST. These students shall be facilitated by laboratory technicians and trained university students. According to the ambassador of Israel to Rwanda, Dr Ron Adam, a country can hardly develop when quality education is not prioritised. “After looking at the positive outcomes of STEM centres established in different countries, I contacted the founder of STEMpower to bring the same initiative here because I strongly believe that when a country has quality education, development is inevitable. Promoting quality education is one of the priorities of the Israel Embassy in Rwanda, and it aligns with the vision of Rwanda’s leadership,” he added. STEM centres have so far been established in countries like Ethiopia, South Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, and Burundi.
