From the Editor: Once again, students challenge us

In this week’s main story, we bring to you the results of an exclusive investigative piece that indicates that some students in the country’s higher institutions of learning share beds. Note that this is not a case of one-offs, for example when a student receives a guest who, for whatever reason, has to sleep over. The practice here is of a permanent arrangement in which two students choose to share a single bed for the duration of the semester or the school year and split the costs for rent. Most students involved in the practice said they did it because they could not afford the accommodation rates. Of course this unusual practice has its downside. And of course something needs to be done to ensure that each student can afford to sleep in his own bed (Maybe a passionate activist out there should start a “ONE BED, ONE STUDENT” campaign to subsidise accommodation in university hostels and halls of residence). But this is not what strikes me about the story. What strikes me about it, what moves me, is just how determined Rwandan students are to get an education; how much they are willing to sacrifice in order to get through school. This desire to put up with discomfort and inconvenience is truly remarkable. As every educator knows, the most sure indicator of a student’s success (or failure) in getting an education is ‘how badly he/she wants it.’ What sacrifice is the student ready to make to attain it? The more hunger a student has, the bigger the sacrifices they are ready to make, the better their shot at success. The fact that our children are willing to go through so much hardship for the sake of an education says that we at least have that crucial first step that will guarantee success in the future. For that let’s say to all our students: Bravo! Hang in there. Success is right around the corner!

Education

From the Editor: Once again, students challenge us