Nyabihu, Rwanda – May 15, 2024 – The Rwanda Coding Academy (RCA) celebrated a momentous occasion today with the groundbreaking ceremony for its new campus in Nyabihu District. The event was attended by notable dignitaries, including the Ambassador of Korea to Rwanda, Mr. Jeong Woojin; KOICA Country Director, Kim Jinhwa; Rwanda TVET Board Director-General, Dipl.-Ing. Paul Umukunzi; and Nyabihu District Vice Mayor, Mr. Pascal Simpenzwe.

In his address, Dipl.-Ing. Paul Umukunzi, Director-General of the Rwanda TVET Board, extended his heartfelt gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Korea for their continued bilateral cooperation and support in various aspects of skills development in Rwanda.

"Today marks a special day for us, as what started as an idea has now become a reality that will serve many generations of Rwandan youth, transforming them into world-class software developers. I want to thank and congratulate everyone who has played a role in bringing us to this point.

"We commit to ensuring that all the efforts invested in the TVET subsector will be used efficiently, with full accountability and hard work, to ensure that TVET remains a key driver of our ongoing national economic transformation. With the establishment of this new campus, we expect RCA to become a modern and competitive TVET Centre of Excellence in software development, AI, and related modern technologies. With this new infrastructure, modern equipment, and the ongoing capacity development of RCA teaching staff, there is no doubt we will achieve this soon."

The new campus development is a critical part of the RCA Capacity Development Project, a four-year collaboration between the Government of Rwanda and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) initiated in 2021. This project focuses on enhancing RCA's educational capacity, providing high-level ICT skills, and other relevant competencies to its students.

Ambassador Jeong Woojin emphasized the significance of this milestone, stating, "The groundbreaking ceremony for the new RCA campus marks a significant achievement in the partnership between Korea and Rwanda under KOICA’s Rwanda Coding Academy Capacity Development Project. The Government of Korea reaffirms its dedication to fostering Rwanda's remarkable development journey. We anticipate that this special school will yield enduring positive effects, not only for its students but also for Rwanda's technological and innovative advancement."

KOICA Country Director Kim Jinhwa echoed this sentiment, saying, "KOICA is honored to be a key partner in the journey of Rwanda Coding Academy's Capacity Development Project. Our unwavering goal is to help RCA become a center of excellence in software development, providing students with high-quality practical skills that are in demand both nationally and internationally."

Established in 2019, RCA is a product of the “Rwanda Digital Talent Policy” endorsed by the Government of Rwanda in April 2018. The academy aims to equip young Rwandans with exceptional software programming skills, fostering excellence in coding to position Rwanda as a leading ICT hub in East Africa.