HISTORY

1. Creation

The Integrated Polytechnic Regional College (IPRC) Karongi was initiated in 1989 by the Government of Rwanda supported by the World Bank in terms of equipment and infrastructures as a Technical Secondary School. In September 1990, the first batch of 160 students divided up in four classes all boarded was admitted in the school year 1990/1991 with trades of Industrial Installations, Heavy Machine Mechanics and Maintenance mechanics. The school started with four Trainers including a Director. At that time, the school had two Workshops, six classrooms, four dormitories, a kitchen + dining room, an administrative block and fifteen houses for trainers. 

2. Evolution

In April 1994, the Genocide arose when the fist batch was about to graduate in July of that year. The school then stopped its activities because of the Genocide. There was looting of equipment, tools and teaching materials especially for Automobile Mechanics option. The presence of the MINUAR (United Nations Mission to Rwanda) and afterward those of Operation called "Turquoise" increased largely this situation of looting and destruction. 

On 23rd October 1995 classes resumed with the support of "GTZ/ETO-MINEDUC" project.  The reopening started with two trades: General and Motor Vehicle mechanics ordinary level (A3) with six classes from senior one to four with a total number of 182 boarded students (181 boys and one girl). The personnel included five administrators (Director, Deputy in charge of studies, Deputy in charge of discipline, Bursar, Secretary), three permanent trainers and three visiting trainers. 

On the 25th May 1996, senior students arrived (53 students) giving an effective total of 235 students and the training personnel passed to 10 permanent trainers and 5 visiting ones. 

In the school year 1996-1997, the trade of Electricity was introduced, and in the school year 2002-2003, the Advanced Level began in ETO KIBUYE with two trades namely General Mechanics and Electricity. The Advanced level of Automobile Mechanics started with the school year 2005. Therefore in 2012 in total the school had 3 trades (Motor Vehicle Mechanics, General Mechanics, Electricity) and Vocational Training Centre-VTC with Engine & Domestic Electrical Installation.

In November 2012, the Government of Rwanda decided to upgrade ETO KIBUYE to an Integrated Polytechnic Regional Center (IPRC) WEST consisting of a College of Technology awarding Advanced Diploma, Technical Secondary School and Vocational Training Center.

In May 2017,  through Rwanda Polytechnic, the government of Rwanda decided to reform IPRC WEST to the Integrated Polytechnic Regional College (IPRC) of Karongi,  awarding Advanced Diploma and providing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes.

VISION

IPRC Karongi aspires to be the leader in professional training that provides an innovative and excellent education for knowledge-based economy and sustainable development.

MISSION

IPRC Karongi empowers students to develop their knowledge, skills, and potential as critical thinkers. It provides high quality technological, professional and vocational training, develops creative, competitive, innovative and entrepreneurial manpower with hand-on-experience.

CORE FUNCTIONS

The core functions of IPRC Karongi fall in the following:

• To offer technical and vocational courses leading to certificate or diploma, and to provide science- and technology-based technical and vocational training as well as education which enable the beneficiary to create jobs for personal development and contribute to national development.
• To carry out and promote research and technology in technical and vocational fields and disseminate their findings to foster national development.
• To offer in-service training to practitioners in various fields to develop their technical and vocational skills.
• To contrubute to finding solutions to the community problems and participate to community activities. 

CORE VALUES

IPRC Karongi takes great pride in the quality of education that is provided to its students. The community as well as the country expect IPRC Karongi to produce qualified and competitive technicians able to solve technological, socio-economical problems facing the community.To meet all of these, IPRC Karongi promote the following values a guide in daily service delivery:

• Hands-on-experience
•  Professionalism
• Creativity
• Competitiveness
• Self -Reliance
• Community engagement