Female students continue to top national exams and science courses. These results are due largely to the efforts by the government and civil society to promote access and success for girls at all levels of education. The ultimate obstacle, namely social constraints still needs to be overcome.

After Konza Technopolis in Kenya and Kigali Innovation City in Rwanda, the region is home to a new institution dedicated to STEM: The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Center inaugurated in Kigali. This confirms the interest that states in this region show for high value-added fields.

The Smart Classroom program, operational since 2016, has enabled millions of Rwandan school children to access and learn about digital tools. The key will be to put that right and extend the initiative to all the country’s educational institutions.