Zimbabwean teachers undergo exams for Rwandan jobs

ZIMBABWEAN teachers who have applied to work in Rwanda following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two countries will this week go through virtual examinations before they are selected to work in the central African nation.

A delegation of eight officials from Rwanda led by the permanent secretary in Rwanda's Ministry of Education Mr Charles Karakye yesterday arrived in the country for the recruitment exercise.

More than 491 teachers from various fields have been registered to undergo the virtual interviews under a worker-exchange agreement between Zimbabwe and Rwanda.

The recruitment examinations start tomorrow in Harare, Bulawayo, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland Central and Midlands and are expected to end on Thursday.

The exercise is being jointly undertaken by the Ministry of Labour, Public Service and Social Welfare and Rwanda's Ministry of Education.

Addressing journalists after meeting the delegation, chief director Labour Administration and Employment Promotion Mr Cliford Matorera said the objective of the virtual recruitment was to identify competent Zimbabwean teachers to be recruited in Rwanda.

Mr Matorera said the activity will also be an opportunity to implement for the first time the use of Rwanda's e-recruitment system at an international level.

"They are here in Zimbabwe specifically following up on the MoU signed by our two principals, the President of the Republic of Rwanda Paul Kagame, and President Mnangagwa which is to do with the exchange of our personnel expertise in the field of education, science and medicine among others," he said.

"The issue was discussed on May 4, 2022 followed by a signing of the MoU between our Minister of Labour, Public Service and Social Welfare and the Minister of Education in the Republic of Rwanda.

"After that, a series of activities happened which were aimed at ensuring that a number of Zimbabweans who are in the field of education who are interested in working in the Republic of Rwanda can then be recruited. This is what the delegation has come to fulfil.

"This is the first of its kind when we are going to do an e-recruitment, which is being facilitated by a system that our colleagues from Rwanda have come with. We have dedicated centres, one in Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Chinhoyi where those who want to work in Rwanda will be sitting for the e-recruitment examinations on August 17 and 18."

Mr Matorera said as soon as the online recruitment is completed, teachers who have passed will undergo an oral interview.

"The team has come to facilitate the smooth transition of conducting the e-recruitment. They will also conduct some training to the Zimbabwean team on how to conduct the invigilation."

Mr Karakye said they came to Zimbabwe to fulfil the MoU signed between the two countries.

"We are here to follow up on the implementation of the MoU that our countries have just had regarding the exchange of educational personnel," he said.

"We have already moved ahead with the implementation of some of the steps towards recruitment of these teachers. We are here to supervise, invigilate and work gently with the team here in Zimbabwe to ensure that we conduct a fast online recruitment exam which will be followed by interviews if they manage to make it to the next stage."