New Era for Education: Kagame Appoints New Minister of Education

Joseph Nsengimana has been appointed as Rwanda Minister of Education by President Paul Kagame.  Before his appointment, Joseph served as Director of the Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning, established by the Mastercard Foundation in 2019, to support the impactful integration of technology in education across Africa.

With a stellar career spanning three decades, starting out at Intel Corporation, Joseph is well positioned to drive change and innovation for better education in Rwanda, which have been a model for the continent. His last role at Intel before joining Mastercard Foundation, was as Executive Director of Global Diversity and Inclusion (GDI) Policy, Strategy, and External Partnerships (PSEP), where he was responsible for helping Intel reach full representation in its US workforce two years ahead of schedule in 2018.

He crafted and led the implementation of Intel’s Africa public policy and corporate affairs strategy.  He led the team responsible for government affairs, education, ICT and broadband policies in Sub-Saharan Africa.  With the project, he worked closely with Ministries of Education and other stakeholders in using ICT to transform their education systems.  He was involved in the roll-out of Intel Teach.  Joseph also led Intel’s participation in the Partnership to Strengthen Innovation and Practice in Secondary Education (PSIPSE). 

Achievement at Mastercard Foundation

As Director of the African Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning in ICT of the Mastercard Foundation since 2019, he led the centre to spark innovation and promote promising practices in the use of ICT for teaching and learning and catalyze significant improvements in secondary education across Africa. Under his leadership, the centre worked with a range of actors — including innovation hubs, EdTech entrepreneurs, policymakers, researchers, educators, and learners—to support the effective and impactful integration of technology in education, including the development, deployment and scale-up of promising EdTech innovations that boost learning and strengthen the education system.  Some Initiatives includes:

• • • EdTech Monday: To democratize education technology. Through EdTech Monday, the centre is achieving one of its key missions, to demystify and catalyze the use of technology in education through conversations that inform and engage the public on how technology can democratize education and improve learning across the continent.
    • Mastercard Edtech Fellowship: an entrepreneurship acceleration program that supports promising African EdTech ventures. Africa’s education system is on the cusp of transformation, fueled by innovative EdTech solutions. But these brilliant ideas need a voice. Effective promotion and marketing bridge the gap between creators and the learners who need them most. The Fellowship recognizes this. It’s not just about supporting startups – it’s about giving them a platform. By showcasing these innovative companies, the Fellowship connects them with the education market across Africa.
    • Convening: In July this year, the inaugural Mastercard Foundation EdTech Conference held in Abuja – Nigeria, where innovators, leaders, and young people gathered to drive transformative change in education across Africa. This high-level convening brought together stakeholders committed to accelerating quality and equitable education for young people through technology. The conference saw the cutting-edge of ideas, forged strategic partnerships explored, and envisioned the future of education technology in Africa.

Nsengiyumva becomes the 17th Minister of Education since the last 30 years.