Rwanda: SOS, university students in distress

National University of Rwanda (NUR)

Life has become a nightmare for some students at the National University of Rwanda (NUR) in Butare. The government’s decision to suspend scholarships to several Rwandan students has made living conditions deplorable on campus since the beginning of this academic year 2011. Such a drastic decision against a number of Rwandan students came a surprise and brought shame to a country that usually prides itself of being on the right tract with regard to economic development.

By this government decision, some students were forced to stay home. Among those who managed to come to the campus, their life has become like an obstacle course. Search for food and housing has become their daily concerns, according to some of these students interviewed by reporters of the Rwandan section of the Voice of America during a reporting “Dusangire Ijambo” broadcast on Sunday, March 20, 2011.

Many poor students who were affected by this decision are unable to rent their homes near the campus and are obliged to get together and rent small rooms several miles away from the campus. Journalists from the Voice of America witnessed the living conditions of the students they interviewed. Eight students rent a small room of 12 square meters, without windows; toilets and showers are dirty and are common to both boys and girls. These small rooms are approximately located at 3 hours walking from the campus. The bravest students are often forced to pick up odd jobs or to spend their day begging for survival instead of going to school. They feel like living as homeless in their own country. How can we expect these students to succeed in such circumstances? Is this a legitimate question to ask ourselves?

More information in our possession tells us that this problem affects not only students from the National University of Rwanda but also students from other universities and colleges. Testimonies concerning students who collapse because of starvation are also increasing. One may recall that in February 2011 a student at Kigali Institute of Education, Eugene Uwambajimana, committed suicide following the announcement of the suspension of her scholarship.

The regime of General Paul Kagame should quickly abrogate such a decision which is considered as discriminatory and politically motivated by the affected students from poor families. No one can predict the negative consequences that this decision could produce on a long-term besides those already incurred such as prostitution of some students in order to earn a little bit of money and the increasing number of slumlords who take the opportunity to rent their dirty rooms.

Translated by Amani Tuyishime
Original french version by Grégoire Karekezi
JamboNews.net