ECOLE SPERIEURE PROFESSIONNELLE DE KIGALI - ESP
Gov’t could loose Frw 300m over contraversial school
Date: 12th-May 2007
Kigali - The Ministry of Education is embroiled in controversy with two investors that want to open a technical institute in Kigali and now the turn of events points to possibility of the state losing more than Rwf 300m in costs and damages, RNA reports.
French-Jewish Journalist Serge Farnel and Pastor Amani Placide - proprietors of Ecole Supérieure Professionnelle (ESP) de Kigali (Professional Technical School of Kigali) have petitioned the Ombudsman to intervene in a row in which the Ministry of Education has “deliberately” refused to grant them provisional agreement to start the school.
The two argue that the Education Ministry specifically the Minister of Education Dr. Jean D’Arch Mujawamariya has not treated their dossier fairly.
And according to them, top officials with the Ministry have been dilly dallying over a decision whether the school should be allowed to start.
Mr. Serge Farnel told RNA that should the negotiations fail, he and his business partner would seek a court order to “force” the Education ministry open the school or pay up costs already incurred and damages amounting to millions.
“I have wasted my money...my time...I am not going to do anything more than this until we are given provisional agreement to start operations”, Serge said after a visit to the school by Mr. Murekeraho Joseph - the State minister along with the Secretary General yesterday. The visit however turned sour as the state Minister and Mr. Serge exchanged unfriendly wordings.
Mr. Serge and his partner are said to have spent over Rwf 30m in refurbishing the school that was closed down in 2003 just after a year in operation. Up to Rwf 150million is planned to be invested in re-equipping the school for this year alone.
The two say they have done “everything” that the Education Ministry demanded but that every time inspectors visit the school “they come up with new demands”.
“It is as if they want something that they are not clearly spelling out”, Pastor Amani Placide told curious reporters at the premises of the school.
Genesis of events
Early this year, Serge Farnel and Pastor Amani Placide partnered to reopen the institute with financial injection from other partners in “ Europe ”. The school had been denied operating license by the Education ministry in 2003.
The Ministry demanded addition of building blocks, restocking books and concerns over the land on which the school is located - about 5 km along Kigali-Nyamata road.
After “everything asked was done”, according to the two proprietors, the Ministry was to send in inspectors who would eventually recommend provisional acceptance to open “as other aspects are being cleared”.
Events turned shaky for Serge Farnel and Pastor Amani Placide when the Minister of Education Dr. Mujawamariya ordered police to “watch” the two men because apparently were harassing her - an accusation they deny.
According to them, they had deposited several invitation documents requesting for inspection of the school without any success. So, as they explain, decided to “call up” the Minister herself on her personal phone. They were summoned by police and ordered not to “ever” call the minister again. The Ministry denies receiving any invitation.
Following a retracted media campaign and possible behind the scenes intervention by the Ombudsman, Mr. Murekeraho Joseph the State minister with the Secretary General yesterday evening visited the school in a move they later described as “unofficial” after a bitter confrontation with Mr. Serge.
Speaking to reporters reservedly, Mr. Murekeraho said he “just wanted to have a first hand view of the school that is causing a lot of problems”. However Mr. Serge and Pastor Amani say they were phoned by the Minister who was to come to inspect the school and of course give them a go-ahead.
On arrival, the Minister was taken around the school as journalists followed up. However when he released the group included journalists he demanded that he and the school proprietors have a closed-door meeting.
After the one-hour plus meeting, Minister Murekeraho and his hosts again moved out for the second inspection of the school and it is here that Mr. Serge could not come to terms with.
“The Minister says his visit was unofficial and now he is telling us to this...do that...we have done a lot more than what they even asked for”, Serge bitterly told reporters.
“He (Minister) says we should trust him and finish up all that they want and they are going to allow us open...He has come here unofficially then why do we have to trust him...we want official partners”, Serge added as the Minister looked puzzled.
Mr. Serge went on as the Minister entered his car: “We have done enough and are not going to do anything more unless we are allowed to start because they seem be coming up something new every other time...I have wasted my money...my time...I think the Ombudsman will be the one to solve this.”
Minister Murekeraho and Secretary-General Narcisse Musabyeyezu arrived at the school at 15:30 and left at around 18:00
Pray for us to reopen the SCHOOL.
