Elisée Twizeyimana (second right) with colleagues at GS SOS Gaculiro shortly before their afternoon examination. Most of these are trained hackers
A little known secondary school in Kigali is quietly partnering with American experts to introduce students into hacking skills because their future is considerably digital.
World Mission Secondary School at Kinyinya, Gasabo district has been training students in Computer Science and Accountancy since 2014.
The school realised that it’s not enough to only teach students common courses of web design, and computer maintenance.
The school founder Rev. Paul Kim, a US – Korean national, entered a partnership with Itel, a mobile phone company to train students in hacking systems.
“Experts from the company come and provide a one month training every year to give our students skills that would contribute to fighting cybercrimes,” Samuel Tangimana, the school director told KT Press.
He said, “In this digital era, hackers invade a banking system and steal money. Hacking skills are necessary to prevent such crimes. Our skills would help the national police to track cyber criminals.”
The 52 students at World Mission Secondary school are part of 44,037 candidates currently sitting for A-Level exams at 858 examination centres countrywide.
Some 98,268 candidates are also sitting O-Level exams.
The Kinyinya based World Mission Secondary School has a future objective of producing the toughest hackers.
“My objective is to pass national exams with distinction and have an opportunity to study Computer Engineering at university where I can gain more skills in hacking,” Elisée Twizeyimana, one of the students in computer Science told KT Press before going for his exam at GS SOS Gaculiro.
“My dream is to become an IT journalist,” said Mandela Mukama, a Computer Science student.
Tangimana said, “The students like this training. When you ask them the name they would wish to have in life, they speak loudly; We are hackers.”
The school has about 500 students in A’ level and each of them is entitled to a computer during ICT classes.
The best students are offered a scholarship to Daegu University, a Korean school which has partnership with the World Mission Secondary School.
“We send students who score above 50 marks in national exams for Bachelor’s degree,” Tangimana said.
Since 2015, the school has sent 10 students to Daegu to pursue course including; Computer Engineering, Forestry, and Economics.
students being checked before entering the examination room. Across the country national exams have began with 98,268 Candidates for O’Level and 44,037 for A’Level
Isaac Munyakazi , the State Minister for Primary and Secondary Education issuing exams to students
