Rwanda’s University of Gitwe to resume academic work

Rwanda’s Higher Education Council (HEC) has authorised the University of Gitwe, better known as the Institut Supérieur Pédagogique de Gitwe (ISPG), to resume academic activities after it was closed a year-and-a-half ago.

The Ruhango district-based university was authorised to reopen by Dr Rose Mukankomeje, the director-general of the HEC, in a letter dated 22 October 2021.

Mukankomeje said the HEC agreed to this step after it was informed by local authorities in the district of the IPSG’s preparedness for reopening.

The ISPG closed in March 2020 together with other universities and higher-learning institutions and schools in a bid to help the country to quell the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, when other universities were given the green light to reopen, ISPG could not do so because it had fallen behind in the payment of some of its obligations.

“The district informed the HEC in the letter that, once the ISPG resumes academic activities, the institution will be able to secure a loan from the Education Recovery Fund and ensure the pending staff salary arrears are totally cleared and that the loan-awarding bank will directly pay the fee to staff through their bank accounts,” Mukankomeje’s letter states.

“In view of the above, I am pleased to inform you that the ISPG is authorised to reopen and resume academic activities,” she wrote.

ISPG management will have to submit a report to the HEC once the staff salary arrears are paid, the letter adds.

“In addition, ISPG management is urged to comply with the established norms and standards for higher education and the established health measures against the COVID-19 pandemic. The HEC will conduct regular assessments at the ISPG campus to ensure good quality education is provided in a safe and conducive environment.”

The district also committed itself to appoint a representative to the ISPG board of directors.

According to Dr Joseph Rwandema, the vice-chancellor of the University of Gitwe, the university welcomed the reopening. “We are ready to resume courses and our academic and administration staff have been prepared,” he said.

“We have started registration of new students and informed those who studied here about our reopening. We hope that classes will start in November,” he told University World News.

Rwandema said that, as much as COVID-19 has worsened the university’s financial status, it was ready to acquire the loan and use it to make all the necessary payments and return to running the campus.

He acknowledged that some students had since enrolled at other universities.

“We know some who have left, but many will re-join our university, especially those who were in their final year and those who remained with few courses. We are going to improve our communication to ensure more [of them] join,” he added.

The university had about 600 students before COVID but has the capacity for as many as 3,000 students, according to the officials. It offers bachelor degrees and diplomas in general nursing and business information technology as well as bachelor degrees in computer science and education.

The university had two of its departments closed by the HEC in 2019 over what the ministry of education termed “failure to meet recommended requirements” as identified by an HEC audit. These included insufficient training equipment and teaching staff.