The Rwandan government, in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), has launched a $6.5 million project to equip young people with digital skills aimed at improving employment and innovation.
The four-year initiative, valued at more than 9 billion Rwandan francs, was launched Wednesday in Kigali. Officials from various government institutions discussed strategies for implementing the project.
Public Service and Labor Minister Christine Nkulikiyinka said the program is expected to help close Rwanda’s skills gap and align education with labor market needs.
“This project will help us integrate data and connect young people to job opportunities,” Nkulikiyinka said. “It’s about aligning what people study with the demands of the labor market.”
She said the project will also map where jobs are most available and ensure that qualified workers are being placed.
Nkulikiyinka added that the government will continue to expand its work-based learning initiative, noting that 70% of participants in the internship program have secured employment.
KOICA Country Director Kim Jinhwa said the project reflects South Korea’s continued commitment to Rwanda’s development agenda.
“This is part of KOICA’s broader efforts to promote employment through the education sector,” Kim said. “We’ve been working with the relevant ministry for the past 10 years.”
He added that KOICA will support Rwanda’s second phase of the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2), which runs from 2024 to 2029, with a focus on industrial development and workforce enhancement.
Rwanda aims to create more than 250,000 jobs under NST2. More than 1 million young people are expected to be trained in advanced digital skills to improve their competitiveness in both domestic and global job markets.
