Africa-Press – Rwanda. Lycée de Kigali (LDK), one of the leading public schools in Rwanda, is set to celebrate its 50th anniversary on June 8.
Run by the Marist Brothers of the Catholic Church since mid-2022, LDK is a mixed high school with a reputation for attracting some of the best-performing students from the primary level across the country.
Based in Rugunga in Nyarugenge District, City of Kigali, the high school was founded by the French government back in 1974 before it officially opened its gates to science students in 1975, after which it also started welcoming arts students.
It would later be handed over to the government in 1982.
Over the years, LDK has emerged as a centre of excellence, nurturing some of the young Rwandans who have gone on to become notable figures both in public and private entities.
Lycée de Kigali has both boarding and day scholars’ sections. It was among the first schools to re-open and to welcome students from exile in the immediate aftermath of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, subsequently running parallel Anglophone and Francophone sections in the years that followed.
It had to re-start from scratch following the devastation of the Genocide, which claimed the lives of over a million people.
Celestin Gatarahiya, an alumnus of the school having studied there until 1990, told The New Times that LDK was a model school that originally offered science subjects, notably Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.
According to Chrystophe Bazivamo, a student who enrolled in 1974–1975, there were 74 students that year.
Birthplace of UGB
“The teachers there were highly qualified, and were mostly foreigners,” Gatarahiya said. “The fact that Lycée de Kigali is turning 50 makes me feel proud because the knowledge I acquired from there enabled me to serve my country well, and I am still going strong.”
Away from academics, LDK also boasts a rich history of excellence in various sports disciplines. For instance, it’s the birthplace of United Generation Basketball (UGB), a top-tier basketball club in the country, which traces its roots in the late 1990s at LDK under its then basketballer head teacher Aimable Shampiyona (RIP). Several big names in Rwanda’s football, volleyball, and handball circles have also attended the school at different times.
Currently, LDK is home to one of the modern indoor basketball courts in the country, which hosts both league and other domestic tournaments. The facility has also hosted Basketball Africa League (BAL) games.
The school kicked off its golden jubilee celebrations in June last year, with anniversary activities expected to come to a climax during the main celebrations next month.
‘A major milestone’
“Fifty years is a major milestone for LDK,” said Teddy Mutoni, the head of the parents association and a member of the organising committee for the jubilee. “I hope the next 50 years will bring a new chapter of continued growth and more milestones.”
The parents association comprises five parents and has a chairperson, secretary, three advisors, two student representatives, and two teacher representatives. Their responsibilities involve advising the school administration, overseeing administrative meetings, and monitoring students’ well-being.
“We have about 1,300 students, but the majority are day-scholars. I wish we could have enough dormitories for all the students to stay in and concentrate on their studies without any distractions,” said Mutoni, who attended LDK from 1999-2002.
She said the jubilee celebrations should serve as a good opportunity for the school alumni to come together and lay a solid foundation for future milestones. She said she would like to see all her children go to LDK because of the values and education it impacts on students.
‘Appreciation’
Brother Jean Mfurayase, the current head teacher, said the jubilee offered the school an opportunity to extend its appreciation to its partners, including government, parents, the alumni community, and other stakeholders who have supported the school over the years.
He emphasised the importance of celebrating the milestone while strategising on how to take the school to another level in the years ahead.
Mfurayase replaced the school’s longest-serving head teacher Martin Masabo, who passed on in September 2021 after two decades at the helm of the school. Over the last 50 years, the school has educated 45,345 students, he noted.
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