Vision Media

University of Rwanda Leads €15.3M Chikungunya Vaccine Project

Mugisha R. John — 2026-06-09T14:08:17Z

The University of Rwanda (UR), has launched a four-year international research project aimed at developing a vaccine against Chikungunya, a mosquito-borne disease often mistaken for malaria.

The initiative, named ACT-CHIK, brings together seven global institutions. UR will lead research activities in Rwanda, Kenya, Senegal, and Nigeria, focusing on vaccine development and clinical studies.

Chikungunya is transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and causes high fever, severe joint pain, and fatigue. Although widespread in tropical regions, it is frequently misdiagnosed as malaria, and no specific treatment or vaccine currently exists.

The €15.3 million project is funded by the European Union European Union and coordinated by the Institut Pasteur Institut Pasteur. Vaccine trials will be overseen by the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) International Vaccine Institute.

Other partners include Institut Pasteur de Dakar Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Fiocruz Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Kenya Medical Research Institute, and Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital.

UR was selected to lead the African research arm after outperforming competing universities across the continent.

ACT-CHIK project lead at UR, Prof. Léon Mutesa, said the collaboration will advance all stages of vaccine development, including immune response studies. He noted that initial vaccine design work has already been completed by Institut Pasteur.

Rwanda's Ministry of Health Ministry of Health Rwanda said the project highlights the country's growing capacity to host global health research and could pave the way for future vaccine and pharmaceutical development.

Experts say Chikungunya is underdiagnosed due to its similarity to malaria, despite infecting an estimated 35 million people globally each year, mainly in Asia and South America.

Rwanda to Launch 2025/26 National Practical Exams on Wednesday

Mugisha R. John — 2026-06-02T15:05:24Z

The Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) will officially launch the 2025/2026 national practical examinations on Wednesday, June 3, with ceremonies scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m., officials said.

The exams will run through June 22, 2026.

Education Minister Joseph Nsengimana is expected to launch the examinations at St. Joseph Integrated Technical College in Nyarugenge District. State Minister for Education Claudette Irere will lead a separate launch event at Kagarama Secondary School in Kicukiro District.

A total of 74,085 candidates are registered to sit for the practical examinations nationwide. This includes 70,504 students enrolled in schools and 3,581 private candidates, according to MINEDUC.

The exams will be administered across 854 examination centers throughout the country.
The ministry has deployed 8,484 invigilators to oversee the examinations and ensure proper conduct.

MINEDUC said the national practical examinations are a key component of Rwanda's Competence-Based Curriculum and Assessment framework, which evaluates students' practical abilities, vocational skills, behavior and general knowledge. The goal is to assess whether learners can apply classroom knowledge in real-world and workplace settings.

Candidates sitting for the exams include students from Technical Secondary Schools (TSS), Teacher Training Colleges (TTC), the Associate Nursing Programme (ANP), Accounting programs, and general secondary students undertaking Science Project-Based Assessments (PBA).

In addition to the official launches in Nyarugenge and Kicukiro, senior ministry officials and representatives of affiliated education institutions will oversee launch events at selected examination centers across the country.

Rwanda audit finds widespread underuse of school textbooks

Administrator — 2026-05-07T08:28:35Z

A report by Rwanda's Office of the Auditor General has revealed major problems in the management and use of textbooks in nursery, primary and secondary schools, raising concerns about the quality of education.

The audit found that despite significant government spending on textbooks, many remain unused in school storage rooms.

Between 2022 and 2025, more than 3 million textbooks were distributed to primary and secondary schools. However, inspections in 43 schools showed that many books were not being used effectively.

According to the report, textbooks for subjects including Kinyarwanda, mathematics and English were used at rates ranging between 29% and 49% in primary schools and lower secondary classes.

The audit also identified major delays in delivering books to schools. About 396,000 textbooks intended for nursery school teachers remained in storage for months, with delays reaching 397 days. Another 616,000 textbooks for primary and secondary schools were still in warehouses after more than eight months, with delays of up to 240 days.

“These delays caused many schools to continue lacking textbooks for teaching and learning,” Auditor General Alexis Kamuhire said.

In technical and vocational schools, the report found that the issue was not a shortage of materials but failure to use them. Nearly 197 out of 336 training manuals uploaded online had never been used by teachers.

The Auditor General attributed the problems mainly to weak systems for distributing textbooks and monitoring their use. The Rwanda Basic Education Board and the Rwanda TVET Board were urged to strengthen oversight and ensure textbooks reach classrooms and are properly used.

Rwanda to review universities over concerns about education quality

Mugisha R. John — 2026-05-04T14:13:02Z

Rwanda's Higher Education Council on Monday launched a nationwide review of universities and higher learning institutions, focusing especially on private schools amid concerns that rising tuition costs are not matched by the quality of education.

The assessment, which began May 4 at the University of Rwanda's College of Science and Technology, is intended to collect data to help improve academic standards across the sector.

Officials said the exercise will evaluate students' practical skills and include consultations with university administrators and education stakeholders to identify gaps affecting learning outcomes.

The move follows growing criticism that some graduates are entering the job market without adequate skills.

Critics say some institutions prioritize revenue over academic rigor, allowing students to graduate with degrees that do not reflect sufficient competence.

HEC Director General Dr. Kadozi Edouard said universities differ in how they set tuition fees and that a study will examine whether those costs align with the quality of education provided.

“We want to ensure that what students pay reflects the value of the education they receive and prepares them for the labor market,” he said.

Kadozi said the ongoing visits will also assess whether curricula are properly implemented and aligned with workforce demands.

The review will further examine the use of facilities such as laboratories and how well academic programs match employers' expectations.

EAC Universities Pledge to Boost Quality and Collaboration in Higher Education

Mugisha R. John — 2026-03-09T17:22:09Z

Universities and higher education institutions across the East African Community (EAC) have committed to working together to improve the quality of education, foster research collaboration, and ease access to scholarships for students from member countries.

The pledge was made during a March 9, 2026, meeting that brought together university leaders, government officials, and students to discuss strategies for enhancing higher education in the region. The event was organized by the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), the EAC agency tasked with promoting knowledge and research among member universities.

IUCEA Secretary General Prof. Idris A. Rai said EAC universities share many common strengths that could be maximized through collaboration.

“We want the EAC to be a space where students, lecturers, and researchers freely share knowledge. Joint university initiatives can create sustainable systems that improve employment opportunities across member states,” Rai said.

Rwanda's State Minister of Education, Irere Claudette, emphasized the need for universities to align curricula with rapid global changes and labor market demands.

Dr. Edward Kadozi, CEO of Rwanda's Higher Education Council, highlighted the critical role of universities in national development. “We value knowledge and the programs universities offer, and our governance encourages collaboration, student exchanges, and joint research,” he said.

Rwanda has 38 universities, including four public institutions. The University of Rwanda alone graduates over 9,000 students annually. PhD graduates in the region have risen sharply, from 19 in 2018 to 90 in 2024, reflecting growing research output.

Rwanda Looks to Global PISA Test to Guide Education Improvements

Administrator — 2026-03-03T14:45:36Z

Rwanda is preparing to analyze results from the 2025 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) to evaluate the country's education system and guide future improvements. The Rwanda Education Board (NESA) and its partners recently convened to discuss how to use the international test's findings effectively.

NESA Director General Dr. Bernard Bahati said the discussions aim to help stakeholders understand Rwanda's participation in the PISA 2025 assessment and how the results will benchmark the country against international education standards.

“This initiative is a major step in comparing Rwanda's education quality with global standards,” Dr. Bahati said. “PISA collects not only student test scores but also their perspectives and feedback, which can provide insights to improve teaching and learning.”

Rwanda joined PISA in 2022, and preparations involved multiple activities to ensure readiness. The current phase focuses on processing and analyzing the data. Dr. Bahati encouraged educators and other stakeholders to contribute insights that will help interpret the results and address ongoing challenges in the education system.

The PISA findings are expected to inform Rwanda's five-year education plan, ESSP 2024–2029, which emphasizes universal access, quality education, technology integration, and support for girls and students with disabilities. Dr. Bahati noted that while 95% of children enter primary school, pre-primary enrollment is just 44.7%, and secondary school attendance remains a concern — gaps that could affect PISA outcomes.

The assessment included 18 private schools, two international schools, 81 public schools, and 112 government-supported institutions across the country. PISA, administered by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), evaluates 15-year-old students in more than 90 countries.

Rwanda's PISA 2025 results are scheduled for release on Sept. 8, 2026. Officials say the findings will provide a critical benchmark for education quality, offering evidence to guide reforms and improve learning outcomes.

Rwanda Boosts School Feeding Budget as One-Third of Population Enrolled in Schools

Administrator — 2026-02-28T11:30:25Z

Rwanda has increased funding for its nationwide school feeding program, reinforcing a policy that provides meals to all students in public and government-subsidized schools as enrollment continues to represent roughly one-third of the country's population.

Data from the Ministry of Education Rwanda shows that in 2025 the country had 5,041 schools serving 4,766,125 students — about 35% of the population. The system includes 4,264 pre-primary schools, 4,108 primary schools, 1,916 lower secondary schools, 981 upper secondary schools offering both cycles, 581 technical and vocational institutions and 120 international schools.

All students receive meals at school. Day students are served lunch, while boarding students in secondary schools receive full-day meals.

Under updated 2025 operational guidelines published in January 2026, government contributions per student have increased. Primary school allocations rose to 219 Rwandan francs (about 16 cents) per child per day, up from 135 francs. Day secondary students now receive 642 francs per day, a sharp rise from 56 francs. Preschool students receive 109 francs daily, according to information obtained by local media.

For the 2025/2026 fiscal year, the government allocated more than 130 billion francs (about $95 million) to the feeding program.

Parents continue to contribute a portion of the cost. Families with children in primary school pay 15 francs per day, or 975 francs per term. Parents of day secondary students contribute 19,500 francs per term, though those unable to pay may provide manual labor at schools instead.

The guidelines require meals to include a balanced diet of cereals or tubers, vegetables, fruits, oils and animal protein, with standardized portions by age group.

Officials say funding increases reflect rising food prices. Urban inflation reached 8.9% in January 2026 compared with the previous year. Authorities credit the feeding program with improving attendance and reducing dropout rates, currently at 5.2%, with a target of lowering it to 4.8% this academic year.

Japan's JICA Marks 20 Years in Rwanda With Focus on Education Gains

Mugisha R. John — 2026-02-22T14:39:23Z

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is marking 20 years of operations in Rwanda, highlighting gains in education and skills development as part of a broader partnership between the two countries that dates back to 1962.

Anniversary celebrations were held at TTC Muhanga in Shyogwe Sector, Muhanga District, bringing together government officials, educators, students and development partners to recognize Japan's contribution to improving science and technology education.

Through its volunteer program, JICA has supported the integration of mathematics, science and information technology into teacher training. At TTC Muhanga, the agency has helped establish information and communication technology labs, provided high-speed internet and deployed volunteers to strengthen practical learning.

Students say the support has transformed how they study and prepare for careers in education. Nadine Ikirezi, a second-year mathematics and physics student, said access to internet and modern equipment has made research easier and lessons more interactive. She added that vocational skills training, including soap-making, has also equipped students with entrepreneurship skills that could support them beyond the classroom.

Sixth-year student Elysa Niyonkuru said smartphones provided through the program have expanded students' access to digital learning materials and strengthened their ability to use technology in daily studies.

JICA Rwanda Chief Representative Minako Shiotsuka said education remains a central pillar of the agency's work, particularly in strengthening mathematics and technology instruction. She noted that JICA's activities in Rwanda also extend to agriculture, health and community development.

Since opening its office in Kigali in 2005, JICA has worked with about 400 volunteers in Rwanda, supported more than 30,000 farmers and improved access to clean water for over 740,000 people. More than 1,000 Rwandans have also traveled to Japan for advanced training.

RDF Spokesperson Tells Students Bravery, Patriotism Won Rwanda's Liberation

Mugisha R. John — 2026-02-03T08:26:04Z

Rwanda's liberation struggle succeeded because of bravery and a strong sense of patriotism, the spokesperson of the Rwanda Defence Force told students Monday during an event marking Heroes' Day.

Brig. Gen. Ronald Rwivanga made the remarks at Riviera High School in Kigali's Gasabo district, where students, teachers, school administrators and parents gathered to reflect on the role of national heroes. Rwanda commemorates Heroes' Day every year on Feb. 1.

Rwivanga said the values of courage, unity and love for country enabled those who fought to liberate Rwanda to overcome both military enemies and destructive ideology. He added that wars cannot be won through discrimination or language that spreads hatred.

“A hero is someone who puts others before himself,” Rwivanga said, describing heroism as the willingness to make extraordinary sacrifices for the greater good.

He cited Maj. Gen. Fred Gisa Rwigema as an example, noting that the senior Ugandan army officer left his position as deputy defense minister to join Rwanda's liberation struggle. Rwigema was killed in the early days of the war in 1990.

Rwivanga said the fighters faced major challenges, including a lack of military equipment, but relied on determination, discipline and a shared belief in their mission.

School officials said Heroes' Day should serve as more than a celebration. Daniel M. Muthee, head of Riviera High School, said the commemoration helps students better understand the country's history and the responsibilities of leadership.

Several students said bravery is a value that applies beyond the battlefield. They said it includes making positive choices, resisting drug abuse and avoiding peer pressure that can lead to harmful behavior.

Sixth-year student Melissa Ineza said encouraging friends to abandon drugs is a form of modern heroism. Another student, Mahirwe Aime Prince, said true bravery means serving the country and doing what is right regardless of others' actions.

Rwanda recognizes its national heroes in three categories — Imanzi, Imena and Ingenzi — honoring individuals who made exceptional sacrifices for the nation.

Former Namibia First Lady Launches Pan-African Leadership Lab in Rwanda

Mugisha R. John — 2026-02-02T08:20:06Z

Monica Geingos, the former first lady of Namibia, on Friday launched a new Pan-African leadership center in Rwanda aimed at strengthening governance by connecting emerging leaders with seasoned policymakers across the continent.

The center, known as Leadership Lab Yetu, was officially inaugurated Jan. 31, 2026, in Kigali. It is designed to equip young African leaders with practical leadership skills while promoting collaboration between generations to address Africa's evolving political, social and economic challenges.

The launch brought together senior Rwandan government officials and prominent African leaders. Attendees included Rwanda's minister of youth and arts development, Jean Nepo Abdallah Utumatwishima; Francis Gatare, president of the African School of Governance; former Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou; and Botswana Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe.

Monica Geingos

Leadership Lab Yetu will focus on leaders aged 25 to 45, a demographic increasingly shaping governance across Africa. Its flagship program, the Intergenerational Leadership Accelerator, will run for 12 months and combine online instruction with in-person sessions in Kigali.

Organizers said Africa's governance challenges ranging from rapid population growth to economic transformation require blending the institutional experience of senior leaders with the innovation and technological fluency of younger generations. They emphasized that effective leadership in the coming decades will depend on cooperation across age groups.

The first cohort includes 18 participants drawn from several African countries, including Rwanda. Participants include ministers, lawmakers, senior advisers and local government officials, reflecting a wide range of leadership roles across the continent.

Geingos said the initiative is intended to help prepare Africa's next generation of leaders for global influence.

“The leaders Africa produces in the next decade will shape the direction of the world for the next century,” she said. “They must be equipped with the skills, confidence and values needed to confront complex challenges and deliver solutions that benefit societies at scale.”

In addition to training, the center will conduct governance research, with a focus on youth participation and demographic change, to support evidence-based policymaking across Africa.

Geingos is the widow of President Hage Geingob, who died in 2024 at age 82 while serving his second and final term as Namibia's president.