Tag: Rwanda Coding Academy

[Rwanda] Samsung Partners With Government To Equip Coding Academy

Samsung Electronics has announced a new partnership with the Government of Rwanda through the Ministry of ICT and the Ministry of Education to equip the Rwanda Coding Academy.

Samsung will be supporting the Rwanda Coding Academy by equipping a 30 seater innovation lab with its innovative technology in the form of 24 inch Samsung computer monitors, Keyboards and mouse’s, routers, an interactive e-board, state of the art air-conditioning for the lab as well as the server room and the cabling for the entire set-up. This will go towards equipping students from the academy with the latest knowledge in terms of coding and software development.

Speaking during the launch of this new partnership held at the Coding Academy located in Nyabihu District, Samsung’s Head of Corporate Affairs Mr. Shivanda said is looking forward to many years of partnership with the Rwanda Coding Academy.

“At Samsung we are really excited about this project because the potential is immeasurable, the impact on the community and the leaders of tomorrow is astonishing. It is a project that we are proud to be associated with and is the beginning of many many years of partnership”.

“Together for Tomorrow” is Samsung Electronics global CSR vision focused on enabling people through leveraging strategic, local partnerships and sharing its resources directly benefiting communities.

In East Africa Samsung has partnered with different organizations in Kenya and Ethiopia to execute similar projects with a focus on technology. The company will also be executing the same in other East African markets that they operate in.

This donation supports Rwanda’s Education Sector Strategic Plan 2018 – 2024. The plan seeks to ensure that TVET programs are responsive to both labor market needs and the social and economic development of Rwanda. More focus has been directed towards increased use of ICT in all TVET programs, which has contributed to the preparation of young people for the labour market by enhancing their employability and thereby providing a skilled workforce for the economy.

“We cannot build this country alone, we can only do it through strategic partnerships with socially responsible corporates like Samsung. The Rwanda Coding Academy was developed with the intention of equipping our students with skills that will propel them towards success in the future and with the support that we have received from Samsung today, we are definitely a step ahead” Ms. Claudette Irere, Rwanda’s Minister of State, ICT said.

The launch was also attended by the Vice-Chancellor, Rwanda Polytechnic, Dr. James Gashumba, as well as other leaders from the region.

www.samsung.com

Rwanda Coding Academy received Frw 7.1 billion support from Koica

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) signed the Record of Discussion (R/D) with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and the Ministry of Education for the implementation of the Rwanda Coding Academy (RCA) Capacity Development Project worth US$ 7.1 million (approximately Frw 7.1 billion). The Government of Rwanda will provide the counterpart funding of US$ 800,000 for the project, making the total value of project US$ 7.9 million or approximately Frw 7.9 billion.

The signing ceremony was virtually held in observance of the current health measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and the R/D was signed by Dr. Uzziel NDAGIJIMANA, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Valentine UWAMARIYA, Minister of Education and Mr. CHON Gyong Shik, Country Director of KOICA Rwanda Office. 

“We thank the Government of the Republic of Korea for partnering with us in this important project to enhance software skills development in Rwanda. This support comes to support our National Strategy for Transformation Pillar, with a focus on making Rwanda a Globally Competitive Knowledge –based Economy”, Minister NDAGIJIMANA said

Minister Uwamariya noted that: “This project will make Rwanda Coding Academy a center of excellence in Software Development which will be providing our students with high quality practical skills as required by the software industry at both national and international level, and this will hugely contribute to the national aspiration of making our country a regional ICT hub”.

“KOICA has three priority sectors in Rwanda, agriculture, education, and ICT, and this project cuts across the two important sectors, education and ICT,” said Mr. CHON Gyong Shik, Country Director of KOICA Rwanda Office. “As the main development agency of the Korean government, through this project, we will contribute to the GoR’s education and economic development plans as well as the achievement of SDG 4.” 

RCA opened in 2019, benchmarking the model of Korea’s Software Meister High School, with the goal of developing competent software developers who can promote industrial and economic development of Rwanda. Since its birth, the school has accepted two intakes of students totaling to 118. The third intake is slated for September this year. 

With KOICA’s intervention, RCA will be equipped with high quality infrastructure and equipment as well as capacity to provide specialized education programs to students. It will ultimately benefit the students who are at the heart of RCA’s mission and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goal 4; Education for All. 

Since 1991, KOICA has been implementing its grant aid programs in Rwanda, disbursing about USD 150 million through various projects and capacity building programs. KOICA Rwanda Office was officially opened in 2011. KOICA currently has over 10 on-going projects in Rwanda in education, agriculture and ICT sectors. With the outbreak of COVID-19, KOICA also supported Government in response to the pandemic by providing a mobile testing vehicle, walk-through testing booths and personal protective equipment (PPE) worth about USD 1 million.

www.minecofin.gov.rw