ENHANCING A SUSTAINABLE KNOWLEDGE BASEDECONOMY THROUGH PRIVATE SECTOR LEDDEVELOPMENT: “A Case Study of Private Higher Learning Institutions in Rwanda”.

Abstract

The government of Rwanda has a vision to transform the nation to a middle income
country by the year 2020. Within this vision, private sector-led development is one of the
major pillars envisaged to promote gravitation towards national goals. It is hoped that
through private sector led development, sustainable economic growth and development
will be realized in the long-run, as a higher stock of skilled human capital will trigger
more productivity in the economy hence positively impacting the national income of
Rwanda. Entrepreneurship has been identified as one of the most important strategies for
enhancing job creation thus creating sustainable economic growth and development
especially for the youth and the graduating students from different
universities/institutions. The main objective of this research is to assess the contribution
of private higher learning institutions in entrepreneurship development and job creation
in Rwanda. The study considered mainly primary data and both qualitative and
quantitative information from different individuals and institutions where graduates from
private higher learning institutions are currently working. Different sampling techniques
were employed to collect the relevant data; and these included: purposive sampling and
snowball sampling. For comparative analysis, some graduates currently not working were
also sampled to study the impeding factors. Data were analyzed using SPSS, and both
statistical and non-statistical methods of analysis were employed.
Findings showed that private higher learning institutions have not only contributed to
entrepreneurship development and job creation but also enhanced the knowledge-based
economy in Rwanda. Private Higher Learning Institutions in Rwanda have enhanced the
performance of entrepreneurs up to 67.3% from 2008 to 2012. This figure is an average
of the responses from the informants investigated from the surveyed institutions and
individuals.