Rwanda has taken a significant step toward building cybersecurity skills at the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) level, with 24 teachers completing a 10-day Training of Trainers programme designed to bring cybersecurity education into TVET schools.

The teachers received their certificates on September 3 at the Cyber Hub Academy, located at the University of Rwanda's College of Science and Technology campus in Kigali. The training was delivered through a partnership between the Rwanda TVET Board (RTB), the National Cyber Security Authority (NCSA), and the International Labour Organization (ILO), with funding from the Government of Luxembourg.

The initiative aims to extend cybersecurity education beyond university level into TVET and eventually high schools, helping build an early talent pipeline for Rwanda's growing digital economy. NCSA CEO David Kanamugire said the programme addresses a shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals and can open up well-paying career opportunities for young people. ILO project manager Fatima Sirelkhatim added that the training was designed to match labour-market demand while becoming a lasting part of Rwanda's education system.

For Luxembourg, the partnership reflects its own reliance on strong cybersecurity to protect its finance, data, and connectivity sectors. Chargée d'affaires Charlotte Helminger noted that Luxembourg's cybersecurity ecosystem includes over 300 companies, offering potential for future collaboration, and encouraged the teachers to put their new knowledge into practice back in their classrooms.

The training is based on a 200-hour cybersecurity curriculum developed under the partnership and validated by experts from the private sector, TVET institutions, and academia. Endorsed by RTB management, the curriculum will initially be piloted in two TVET schools, reaching about 60 students, with the possibility of cybersecurity becoming a standalone TVET trade in future. RTB Director General Paul Umukunzi said efforts are also underway to establish cyber hubs in schools to support hands-on learning.

NCSA's Chief Cybersecurity Standards Officer, Ghislaine Kayigi, described the trained teachers as the first cohort under a broader effort to scale cybersecurity education across technical schools, allowing students to build foundational knowledge before advancing to further study or careers. She emphasized the importance of introducing the subject earlier in the education system rather than waiting until university.

Teachers who took part say the training has already sharpened their practical skills. Arthur Tumukunde of ACEJ Karama Technical Secondary School said the programme has equipped teachers to pass on threat-identification skills, including recognizing phishing attempts, to their students. Benitha Agiraneza of Ecole Technique Saint Kizito Musha said the hands-on training strengthened her grasp of concepts she had previously found difficult to teach.

The programme forms part of the ILO's wider project on boosting decent jobs and digital skills for youth in Rwanda, funded by the Government of Luxembourg.