HEREFORD CATHEDRAL SCHOOL is to open an international school in Rwanda for children aged five to 18 and living in or around Kigali. It will, the school says, “reflect the historic institution’s values, ethos and opportunities as well as aligning itself with Rwandan culture and tradition”.
The sixth oldest school in the UK, Hereford Cathedral School is the first independent school to set up an establishment in Rwanda, although not the first in Africa: Charterhouse opened a school in Lagos last September, and last month Rugby School announced a new campus there. Hereford already provides a range of educational services to schools in Jiangsu Province, in China.
Hereford International School, Kigali, is to be located in a luxury housing development. It is being built in partnership with the Savannah Creek Development Company, builders of the city’s Kigali Heights business and retail development.
In Monday’s press release, the headmaster of Hereford Cathedral School, Dr Michael Gray, said: “Embarking on this groundbreaking project is a tremendously exciting milestone for the school. It enables us to expand our mission and to make our sector-leading education available to more and more young people.
“Rwanda is one of the world’s fastest growing economies. It has been on a transformative journey over the past 30 years, with education as a key part of its ongoing development. Through my personal and professional experiences in the country, which I have been visiting so frequently for well over a decade, I have developed an appreciation and affection for its home-grown solutions, warm-hearted people and pro-business approach.
“In collaboration with our esteemed partners, who share our ethos, values and commitment to delivering outstanding education, we look forward to bringing our ambitious and innovative educational approach to Rwanda and strengthening our global presence, which will be pivotal in helping us to realise our strategic aspirations.”
The school is expected to open in two years and run an internationally recognised curriculum.
