In Rwanda, there has been a surge in the number of graduates and institutions of higher education. In 1995, there were two universities, one public and one private, and in 2000 only 741 students total graduated from those universities. Compare this to today’s situation: more than 30 institutions of higher education, and 58,000 new graduates with bachelor’s degrees or diplomas earned over the past 12 years. Those enrolled in higher education institutes this year total 73,000.
As the number of graduates has risen, employers focus on what they can gain from the situation. Most want students who are completely ready to jump into the workforce and need little training, but they struggle to find suitable candidates. Many graduates aren’t specialized in skills or knowledge, but instead have honed their general knowledge at university. These students will need training and a significant amount of time until the investment in hiring them pays off for employers. Graduates who only speak French face potential problems in the current employment market. Most employers in Rwanda want someone who can speak French and English fluently, and universities in Rwanda only recently started emphasizing the language.
Creative Commons Love: rytc on Flickr.com
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