Advertisement

Rwanda higher education board plans reforms to boost sector

Tuesday September 19 2017
Uni

The reforms are aimed at boosting the quality of education in a bid to turn the country into a knowledge-based economy. PHOTO | CYRIL NDEGEYA | NATION

By RODRIGUES RWIRAHIRA

Rwanda's Higher Education Council (HEC) will revise its legal structure for a second time, following recommendations of an audit on all tertiary and higher learning institutions.

The audit is part of a request by the government through HEC to check how institutions are conducting their operations and if the teaching and learning methods are in line with national goals.

The move is aimed at boosting the quality of education and see the country become a knowledge-based economy.

A few months ago, HEC was in parliament to revise provisions of the law governing to allow the council to issue loans and bursaries to students.

This function was previously being handled by the Rwanda Education Board (REB) following 2010 reforms, which transferred the former Students Financing Agency of Rwanda (SFAR) to REB.

READ: Rwanda Education Board on the spot over unauthorised expenses

Advertisement

Speaking to Rwanda Today, Emmanuel Muvunyi, the HEC executive director, said that some of the recommendations given by the previous audit report was to revise the council’s legal structure.

Mr Muvunyi said the new legal structure must ensure relevance and quality of education while promoting academic research.

Although the council has been working on the amendments together with the National Law Reform Commission, the draft Bill will be tabled before parliament.

Mr Muvunyi said the reforms will focus on norms and standards, operations and administrative structures of the council.

According to Unesco, institutions of higher learning should dedicate at least 20 to 25 per cent of their budget to research but this is not the case in the country.

The education sector suffers major setbacks due to insufficient funding and inadequate infrastructure.

ALSO READ: Two semesters but still no laptops for Rwanda varsity students