MKU anchors early education push in Rwanda

(From left) Imbuto Foundation Director General Elodie Shami, MKU founder Prof Simon Gicharu, and Eng Jimmy Gakwaya tour the new ECD block in Kigali on June 8, 2025. [File Courtesy]

Kenyan universities have, in recent years, made inroads into regional countries, as opportunities within the local sector continue to dwindle. Among them is Mount Kenya University (MKU), which has initiated a major early childhood development (ECD) project in Rwanda.

The university is establishing two schools targeting young learners - one in the capital, Kigali, and another outside the city - as part of a collaboration with the Imbuto Foundation, a Rwandan organisation dedicated to promoting early childhood education. Early childhood education is considered critical in nurturing learners from the earliest stages of life.

The Imbuto Foundation is the brainchild of Rwanda's First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, who also serves as its chairperson. The organisation focuses on programmes in education, health, and youth empowerment.

Dr Innocent Mugisha (L), Chairman of MKU Rwanda Governing Council, receives the Mace from MKU Founder Prof Simon Gicharu during the Mount Kigali University handover ceremony. September 17, 2023. [File, Standard]

Prof Simon Gicharu, founder and chairman of MKU, commended the Foundation for its efforts in ensuring access to education for disadvantaged children. He was speaking last week during a tour of one of the ECD centres in Rwanda.

"By contributing to the construction of the ECD Model Class, we are investing in the future of Rwanda's children, providing them with the opportunity to receive quality education from the earliest stages of life," he said. "We remain committed to supporting education, and this contribution is only one part of our long-term strategy to make a lasting impact on the ECD model and look forward to more initiatives." He emphasised the importance of ECD in preparing children for future academic stages, including university education.

"We are in the process of operationalising the centre and are currently onboarding qualified teachers. By September, the centre will be fully functional," said Elodie Shami, Director General of Imbuto Foundation, when the team visited the ECD centre located in Masaka, Kicukiro District, Kigali.