Revolutionizing Driving License Preparation in Rwanda: A Look at Kwihugura Test Center
A computer engineering student from University of Rwanda, Augustine Nshimiyimana, has developed an Online Test Center, offering a platform to simplify the process of preparing for the provisional driving license exam.
Dubbed ‘Kwihugura Test Center”, the platform was launched three months ago, and has shown its uniqueness in helping aspiring drivers who were facing challenges in preparing for the exam, due to limited access to adequate study resources.
According to Mr. Augustine Nshimiyimana, Kwihugura Test Center allows users to practice driving tests, track their progress, and receive instant feedback.
“It bridges the gap for those who have been underserved by traditional methods of exam preparation. Often, students from under-resourced driving schools, or those who are self-studying, lack access to the necessary study materials and practice tests that simulate the real exam experience. This has led to lower success rates and delayed progress toward obtaining a full driving license.”
He said the platform will address this problem by offering online exams that closely resemble the official provisional license test.
How does it work?
To become a user of Kwihugura Test Center requires first a registration. After the registration process has finished, you are asked to pay (using Mobile Money) in order to have access to exams.
The lowest price is Rwf500 whereby users gain access to five practice exams, each containing 20 questions to be completed within 20 minutes. After completing the exam, users have the option to retake it, view correct answers, or proceed to the next one, ensuring a well-rounded preparation experience.
The more you pay, the more exercises you access. There are other options of paying Rwf 5,000 for week long exercises, Rwf 8,000 for two weeks and Rfw 10,000 for a whole month.
“When we first started, we didn’t have a way to convince people that our platform is more reliable than others, but as people use it, out of more than 400 people who have registered, so far there are about 200 who have paid. Of those who managed to inform us that they were going to take provisional license exam, none failed. That is what gives us the strength to tell everyone that our system is more reliable than others”, Mr Nshimiyimana said.
Among the features that Kwihugura Test Center has include the agent program, where driving school owners and IREMBO Service agents can earn commissions by referring students to the platform.
Mr. Nshimiyimana said that agents receive 50% of the student’s registration fee, creating a mutually beneficial ecosystem that fosters both business growth and success for exam candidates.
Kwihugura Test Center is among the 100 entrepreneurial ideas awardees of $3,000 cash prizes, each, after having participated in the Aguka Entrepreneurship Ideation Programme when Rwanda Ministry of Youth and Arts was celebrating International Youth Day in August 2024.
The Aguka programme was initiated in 2022 by the Government of Rwanda with the support of the EU and UNDP. It aims to create 100,000 jobs for young Rwandans in four years. The 2024 Aguka Entrepreneurship Programme competition began in April 2024, and the 100 winners were selected based on the innovative nature and potential impact of their entrepreneurial ideas.
Mr. Nshimiyimana said he is delighted to be part of the programme and the funding he received will support in scaling up his activities.
“Looking ahead, Kwihugura Test Center’s mission is to become the leading online platform for driving license preparation in East Africa and beyond. We aim to expand its services beyond Rwanda into neighboring countries such as Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, and Tanzania”, he emphasized.
