President Paul Kagame on October 15 made very exciting appointments to the newly created university of Rwanda that encompasses former public institutions of higher learning in the country including; school of finance and banking (SFB),National university of Rwanda (NUR), Kigali institute of Education (KIE) and Kigali institute of science and technology (KIST) among others.

These appointments characterized famous foreign academicians, researchers, renown scholars and experienced educationists that have extensively and significantly contributed to spheres of education globally.

These notable academicians and researchers included Dr Mike O'Neal, the newly appointed Chancellor of the University of Rwanda, a former president of the US-based Oklahoma Christian University, Prof James McWha as Vice-Chancellor, who was until last year the vice-chancellor and president of the University of Adelaide, Australia, Prof. Nelson Ijumba, who is the university’s deputy vice-chancellor for academic and research affairs and previously worked as deputy vice-chancellor for research at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, Prof. Davenport formerly president of the University of Western Ontario –Canada and the current Board chairman and Dr Phillip Cotton previously a Professor of Learning and Teaching in the School of Medicine at Glasgow University-Scotland who is going to head the college of Medicine and Health Sciences.

This resilience and ambitious government decision to uniquely outsource the above distinguished scholars and academicians with vast, rich and divergent skills as well as competencies to reinforce the respected Rwandans who have been at the helm of these independent institutions with the key players being Dr Papias Musafiri Malimba, Prof. George Njoroge, Dr Laetitia Nyinawamwiza and Dr Manasseh Mbonye, clearly shows the government’s ultimate goal of accelerating and developing its human capital as articulated in one of its pillars of vison 2020 where human resource development and a knowledge based economy is an indispensable component of Rwanda’s socio-economic transformation agenda.

The new centralized stop center of excellence in education with its admirable and high quality leaders, shows the general ambition and determination of the government to revamp and improve the education standards in the country.

Some some notable lessons need to be learnt, Without undermining the government' consistent quest and vision of searching for high quality and diversified intellectuals in different disciplines of the economy all over the world, the country’s existing human capital outlook seem to be in its infancy stage and hence not fully developed, specifically in fields of empirical scientific research, the degree of competitiveness on regional and global arena, the level of efficiency and effectiveness in their education standards, the extent of their competent skills and relevant knowledge required to steer the much required human capital development in the country and more precisely its relevance to compete favorably in these high caliber offices of the land.

As stipulated by 19th century senior Economist Alfred Marshal that, “The most valuable of all capital is that invested in human beings", and in conformity with Schultz, who in 1960 developed human capital theory by articulating that, investing in human capital has a positive correlation to economic growth and productivity of a nation, which economic principles are clearly synonymous to Rwanda that has over the years shown much anticipation and extensive support to education sector.

However, for the Rwandans to be self-reliant and fully lead their institutions in the long-run and move forward their country to greater heights, more prudent research and development should be greatly emphasized, relevant efficient skills development and competencies should be prioritized, additional qualifications and educational attainment needs more attention and finally more education opportunities availed to potential Rwandans seeking additional education as well as better remuneration and packages to Rwandan Education providers to avert the brain drainage crisis that has over the years hampered economic development among the least developed countries.

{The Author works at Rwanda Development Board

And his master thesis titled: Diagnostic analysis of human capital from higher institutions of learning: A case of Rwanda.}