Rwanda is preparing to train a new generation of aircraft maintenance technicians, with Rwanda Polytechnic planning to introduce specialised courses in September 2027 and initially rely on foreign instructors to support the programme.
The institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Sylvie Mucyo, said the courses would initially be open to students with strong backgrounds in science, mathematics and physics.
Speaking on Tuesday, Nov. 10, during a visit to Rwanda Polytechnic’s Huye College, she said the institution was reviewing its curriculum and engaging aviation industry stakeholders to ensure the training meets professional requirements.
Potential partners include RwandAir, Rwanda Airports Company, the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority and private-sector businesses.
Mucyo said Rwanda faced a shortage of local professionals qualified to teach aircraft maintenance. The institution therefore plans to bring in specialists from abroad, including Ethiopia and the United States, while developing local instructors through overseas training.
The government has already started sending Rwandans abroad to acquire specialised skills, with the expectation that they will return and contribute to building the country’s aviation workforce.
The visit to Huye College also provided an opportunity to assess the institution’s technical training facilities, including modern laboratories and equipment used in engineering, agriculture, livestock production and electric vehicle training.
Lt. Col. Twabagira Barnaba, principal of the college, said its programmes were designed to equip students with practical skills for employment and entrepreneurship.
He also highlighted the institution’s community outreach initiative, through which students share technical knowledge with residents in neighbouring communities, particularly in agriculture, livestock farming and construction.
The planned aircraft maintenance programme comes as Rwanda continues to expand its aviation-related education and seeks to develop the specialised skills needed to support the sector’s growth.
