Teachers can now advance their education at Mount Kenya University Rwanda-MKUR through study loans from Umwalimu Sacco. MKUR and Umwalimu Sacco signed an agreement to support teachers’ education in Rwanda. The partnership was launched on Tuesday, November 13, and signed at Umwalimu Sacco Office. Through this agreement, the university will equip teachers with knowledge, through training capacity and exchange appropriate information to training and research. According Prof Simon Gicharu, the chairman and founder of Mount Kenya University, this partnership will help in the development of the teaching profession in Rwanda. “We appreciate the effort the Government is putting in to grow the profession. As a university committed to excellence and empowering generations through quality education, we are committed to training and being part of growing the profession in the country,” Gicharu said. He further said that the university will continue investing in their niche areas and expand to offer quality education. He added that one of their main goals is to complete the students’ hostels this year so that teachers from far places can easily access the programme. In his speech, Lawrence Uwambaje, the director general of Umwalimu Sacco, said that teachers get into their profession because of their love for learning and caring for students. “It is for this reason, therefore, that we want to contribute to the growth of their profession through flexible pay back option loans with our partner MKUR,” he explained. Uwambaje urged teachers who do not have enough money to further their education to apply to Umwalimu Sacco to get the money. MKUR has an experience in providing teacher professional development and has so far graduated over 1,000 teachers in four programmes that include; Bachelor of Education in Arts and Science, Post graduate Diploma in Education in Science and Arts, Master of Education and Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Education. “For one to apply for the Umwalimu loan, you must be a teacher or pursuing teacher education. You should apply first to MKUR,” said Prof Edwin Odhuno, Vice Chancellor of the university. He said that once one applies, the application is sent to the Sacco to determine if they qualify for a loan. Loan payments are flexible; they have no limitation until one clears. The Sacco was set up in 2006 by the advice of the President, His Excellency Paul Kagame. With 30 branches in each district, it focuses on the welfare of public and private teachers in Rwanda. It is expanding in terms of equity and clientele with over 75,000 operational active accounts. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
