Kigali, 15 April 2011
President Kagame has told students that they are drivers of change in Rwanda and urged them to use their education to help the country achieve its development goals. Addressing students and staff of the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology and the Kigali Health Institute, President Kagame said that transforming Rwanda requires sacrifice, hard work and dedication: “You are also uniquely placed to make a lasting impact in Rwanda if you seize the opportunities that your future professions offer you. You should therefore not limit yourselves at all but keep pushing the boundaries and being innovative so that more and better services can be provided for our people”.
President Kagame said that the government would continue to improve access to quality education at all levels and called on the students to take advantage of opportunities technology offers: “You are living in an exciting technological era that gives you another unique opportunity to interact with the world in a way that promotes your values and interests, the example being the use of social media that allows each of us to be an opinion leader. There is no limit to how far your voice will be heard and you have the opportunity to not only learn, but also teach”.
Addressing the issue of student allowances that were recently scrapped, President Kagame reassured the audience that students in critical need of support would receive help from the government. But he said that it was right and fair that the cost of higher education be shared – with government paying for tuition, and parents and guardians taking care of living expenses.
President Kagame recognized the different regional and international partners who provided support to enable the creation and sustaining of the two institutions. He also passed a vote of thanks to students, staff and faculty who contributed towards making KIST and KHI what they are today.