A previous graduation at the University of Rwanda (UR)
The University of Rwanda is once again under scrutiny after Members of Parliament called on the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) to fix a long-standing and costly failure in the university’s digital systems.
The issue centers on the Integrated Education Business Management Information System (IEBMIS)—a platform that cost the country over Rwf 2.9 billion, but remains largely unused and ineffective nearly 14 years later.
The Tuesday, July 22, 2025, the Chamber of Deputies passed a draft resolution directing MINEDUC to resolve all the technical and operational problems affecting IEBMIS within 24 months.
The resolution followed the presentation of a report by the parliamentary Committee on Education, ICT, Culture, Sports, and Youth, based on findings from the Office of the Auditor General.
The IEBMIS system was meant to modernize university management by digitizing student records, finances, and human resources.
However, MPs say the platform has failed to deliver its promised results and is crippling the university’s ability to function efficiently.
A Rwf 2.9 Billion Investment That Still Doesn’t Work
The IEBMIS project dates back to July 7, 2011, when the former National University of Rwanda (NUR) signed a contract worth €1,744,039 (around Rwf 1,067,961,235 at the time but now Rwf 2.9billion) with Integrated Tertiary Solution (ITS).
The contract covered the supply and installation of IEBMIS software and the training of selected university staff.
The system was designed with three core modules: Student Management Solution; Financial Management Solution, and Human Resources Management Solution.
Together, these comprised 18 sub-modules. However, by the time of an audit conducted in February 2018, only 7 sub-modules were in use, while 11 remained idle. The system was never fully deployed as intended.
Since 2015, the Auditor General has consistently raised alarms about the underperformance of the software, but the problem remains unresolved.
University Still Dependent on the Vendor
In presenting the committee’s findings, MP Emma Furaha Rubagumya, chairperson of the Education Committee, told Parliament that the situation has not improved. Even today, only 3 modules are functioning properly at the University of Rwanda.
She noted that the university does not have full control over the software. Any time it wants to add new features or update the system, it must call ADAPT IT Ltd, the vendor, as stipulated in the original contract.
This constant dependency not only slows down operations but also continues to be financially burdensome.
No Disaster Recovery or Data Security
MPs were particularly concerned that the university has no disaster recovery system, meaning there is no backup of institutional data in the event of a system crash or natural disaster. This exposes the university to the risk of complete data loss.
The committee’s report also highlighted that the server room was poorly secured for years. During the Auditor General’s recent inspection, it was found that the room lacked security cameras, air conditioning, and temperature control systems—all critical for protecting sensitive IT infrastructure.
These issues have since been corrected, but MPs say the deeper problems remain unresolved.
The audit further revealed that the university’s entire system—including servers, software, and data networks—lacks resilience.
If the system were to crash, it would bring all university operations to a halt, with no clear way to recover lost data.
Smart Education Network to the Rescue?
In response, MINEDUC told the committee that it is in the final stages of deploying a new platform called the Smart Education Network.
This system includes a disaster recovery component shared by all schools in Rwanda and has already been installed at the University of Rwanda’s Huye Campus.
The hope is that this new platform will address the gaps and weaknesses left by IEBMIS.
MP Murora Beth recommended that the University of Rwanda fully transition to the Smart Education Network and stop using the outdated IEBMIS system altogether. She said doing so would save costs and eliminate dependence on an external vendor.
Despite more than a decade of warnings and repeated audits, IEBMIS remains one of the most visible examples of an expensive public technology investment that failed to deliver.
With this latest resolution, Parliament has given MINEDUC a two-year deadline to either completely overhaul or replace the system. Lawmakers say the university—and the country—deserve better accountability for such high-stakes investments.
