A rural primary school in Bugesera District now has electricity, computers and internet access for the first time, marking a milestone in Juru Sector’s digital education journey.
Last month, teachers, pupils and partners gathered at EP Kabukuba Primary School in Juru Sector, Bugesera District, to mark the official opening of the school’s new smart classroom. For a school that opened its doors in 2021 without a single electrical socket, the moment carried real weight: rows of laptops running, a projector beaming onto a screen, and a classroom finally connected to the world.
The smart classroom is the result of a partnership between AIPI for All and Sustainable Villages Foundation (SVF), AIPI for All project is implemented by Rwanda ICT Chamber together with the German IT association BITMi and funded by sequa on behalf of BMZ through the Invest for Jobs programme.
From no power to a full digital classroom
EP Kabukuba serves 967 pupils and 20 teachers across pre-primary and primary classes 1 to 6. Until early this year, the school had no connection to the national electricity grid and no digital learning tools of any kind. The only technology on site was a small solar unit just powerful enough to run the school’s Starlink internet dish, not even enough to charge a single laptop.
As part of the AIPI for All initiative, the Rwanda ICT Chamber and BITMi, in partnership with SVF, supported the transformation of the school’s infrastructure to create a modern and digitally enabled learning environment. The scope of the initiative covered:
- Connection of the school to the national electricity grid, with new wiring, sockets and security lighting
- Refurbishment of a classroom, including a suspended ceiling and floor tiles with integrated power sockets
- New furniture: six desks (each fitting five laptops) and 38 chairs
- 30 HP laptops , two projectors, two large rollup screens and a printer/copier for the office
- Integration of the school’s existing Starlink connection into the new electrical system, now sustained through REB’s ongoing subscription support
Teachers first, then students
Following the completion of the Smart Classroom, AIPI for All put teachers at the centre of the next phase by delivering a Training of Trainers (ToT) programme under the theme “Digitize Your Process.” The training introduced teachers to practical digital skills and tools that can help them modernise their teaching methods, improve lesson delivery, and make better use of the new digital learning environment. This teacher-first approach ensures that the investment in infrastructure is matched with the skills and confidence needed to translate it into meaningful learning outcomes for students.
A community milestone, not just a school upgrade
Last month’s opening event brought the community together to see the finished classroom in person: laptops in rows, teachers walking parents through the new setup, and pupils getting some of their first hands-on time with a computer. Beyond the ceremony, the classroom’s impact is intended to extend well past the school day. EP Kabukuba plans to keep the room open to teachers and students for self-study outside regular lessons and opening the space to the wider community so residents of Juru Sector can learn to use the internet and government e-services such as Irembo.
There is also a longer educational pathway in view. A stronger foundation in ICT at primary level should better prepare EP Kabukuba’s pupils for secondary school
EP Kabukuba’s smart classroom is the seventh SVF has set up in Juru Sector, with three more already in the pipeline over the coming months. It stands as a clear example of what a focused partnership can deliver for a community: not just equipment, but a lasting shift in what a school and its students can access and achieve.
