Igabineza Salvatrice, a 19-year-old girl from Rwamagana District, scored 100% (60/60) in the national high school exit exams in 2023, in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (PCB).
She completed her secondary education at GS St Aloys Rwamagana and is now eager to enter the field of education to share her scientific knowledge with her peers.
Igabineza says she was drawn to science because many in her family studied it, which inspired her to pursue it despite common beliefs that girls can’t excel in science.
Another reason she loved science was her constant excitement about discovering new things, believing that studying science would make her dreams come true.
She said, “Many things made me love science. First, many people in my family are in science, and second, I’m someone who likes to discover a lot of things; I was never just sitting around.”
Igabineza Salvatrice advises girls who think science is only for boys to have determination and work hard, as this can lead to success, and they too can excel in science with good grades.
She commented, “Many girls are afraid of science and think ‘No, we’ll go into other things’ which seem easier. But I would tell them, nothing is easy and nothing is too hard if you put in the effort.”
“Anything is possible if you put in the effort. Science is like any other subject or the other fields they enter. For example, many people now go to WDA because it’s easier than science, but I would tell them science is enjoyable.”
Igabineza Salvatrice is among the 895 students who excelled in the sixth year of secondary school in 2022/2023 and were recently awarded laptops to aid their studies and university education.
They received these laptops through the ‘Teaching Assistantships Project (TAP)’ of the non-profit organization Inspire Educate and Empower (IEE), in collaboration with the Rwanda Basic Education Board (REB).
This project selects students who perform well in national exams and provides them with training that fosters a love for education. They assist in various schools, and those who complete their duties with a newfound love for teaching are supported to study education-related courses at the University of Rwanda.
The project also aims to prepare professional teachers to enhance the quality of education in Rwanda and increase the number of qualified teachers.
Igabineza Salvatrice says this project has made her passionate about teaching, and she is eager to study subjects related to it, which will help her teach and share her scientific knowledge with others.
She adds, “This IEE project has motivated me because I never thought I could stand in front of students in a classroom and speak. […] My advice to others is not to think that going into education means settling for less.”
“Education is a vast field, something you can do alongside many other things, all of which help you progress personally and contribute to your country.”
Igabineza Salvatrice further mentions that some still view the teaching profession as inferior due to past perceptions about teachers’ lives, but they should know that the Government of Rwanda is improving education, including the status of teachers, and that teaching can be a rewarding profession combined with other profitable activities.
