President urges girls to pursue science careers

President Paul Kagame has called on girls to pursue careers in science and technology.

The Head of State was speaking yesterday at the graduation of 85 students from Gashora Girls Academy of Science and Technology, in Bugesera District.

The school that started operations in February 2011 with 90 students saw its pioneer students graduate in various science disciplines.

The academy is an upper-secondary (senior four to six) boarding school for 270 girls.

“Science and technology provide important skills to transform our country and the Government of Rwanda has placed a premium and emphasis on the development of those skills, but we all know traditionally these are areas that girls have been excluded from,” the President observed.

He added: “There was this myth that the domain of science and technology was created for the strength of a male brain. In the last 20 years we have done everything we could to expose this myth and to change the mindset of the Rwandan society.”

The President congratulated graduate students and urged them to act like champions and be an inspiration to many.

“The Rwandan people look forward to your contribution to the development of our country.”

He also urged them to uphold Rwandan dignity wherever they are and in whatever they will be doing, saying that their prospects could not be brighter for only the sky is the limit.

He hailed the school administrators, especially the co-founders Suzanne McGill and Shalisan Foster, for being instrumental in ensuring the school attains international standards.

“I am so excited for accomplishing this step. Since I started here, I always dreamt of this day and I am very happy it has come to pass,” Alexia Umurerwa, one of the graduates told Saturday Times.

She graduated in PCM and she wants to be an engineer.

The event also saw six outstanding students awarded different accolades for being exemplary in the school, in the categories of leadership, academic excellence, discipline and humanitarian activities, among others.

President urges girls to pursue science careers