Supporting The Public Sector of Rwanda

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Education

Public spending on education was 4.8 per cent of GDP in 2011. There are nine years of compulsory education starting at the age of seven; some 37 per cent of pupils complete primary school (2009). The Ministry of Education in Rwanda is responsible for lifelong education and training, and co-ordinates provision between the government, donors, churches, non-governmental organisations and the communities. The Africa Schools Program launched in 2008 by the World Bank supports private schooling to improve wider educational services in Rwanda, at primary, secondary, vocational and tertiary levels. The programme has worked with more than 128 schools and 57 business development services.

The public National University of Rwanda was established in 1963 with faculties of medicine and social sciences, and a teacher-training college. Among other important tertiary institutions are the Kigali Health Institute and the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology. Private universities in Rwanda are run as associations or non-governmental organisations. In 2013 it was announced that such institutions would be converted to private entities, with the corresponding tax obligations.

 

Health

Rwanda’s health and medical sector is relatively well resourced, with health centres, clinics and dispensaries, as well as government-owned and private hospitals. The primary public hospitals include the University Central Hospital of Kigali and King Faisal Hospital, also located in Kigali. Public–private partnerships have been launched by international non-profit organisations to mediate Rwanda’s gaps in health services; such partnerships include USAID’s Access to Family Planning initiative and the One Family Health scheme, in partnership with Glaxo Smith Klein.

 

Transport

The Rwandan Government has acknowledged the importance of infrastructure in forging a competitive private sector – nearly a tenth of the annual budget is channelled into transport and other infrastructure. Improvement of road, rail and water transport infrastructure is intended to reduce travel costs for businesses, as well as individuals. Current opportunities offered by the government for private investment include road infrastructure in rural and urban areas, road being Rwanda’s primary transport system – the Kibungo–Ngoma–Nyanza (130 km), Nyagatare–Byumba–Base (130 km), Kigali Ring Road (80 km) and New Bugesera Airport Expressway.

Rail: There is as yet no rail network, but the government is in the process of planning two main lines which will require private investment – the Dar-es-Salaam–Isaka–Kigali railway project, estimated to cost US$5 billion, and the Mombasa–Nairobi– Kampala–Kigali line, at $13 billion, which will provide a direct connection to the Indian Ocean.

Buses: The government has spoken of the urgent requirement for a modern public transportation system. In Kigali this will be supplied by a new Bus Rapid Transit System (BRT) of 43 km dedicated lanes. ONATRACOM, the public transport operator, will be operated under private management to alleviate its loss-making once a private sector partner has been agreed (expected to be 2014). KPMG International and SMEC International are the two private corporations short-listed for the partnership.

Airports: The main international airport is Kigali International. Planned for the period 2015–17 is a new modern international airport at Bugesera, which will function as an international hub for East Africa. The project will bring economic benefits to the wider country, attracting private investment and urban development. The private partner was unconfirmed at the time of writing.