Ministry of Education
held by the Ministry of Education.
Access, quality and
relevance emphasized
in the new strategic plan
Pre-primary education has made
commendable progress with regard
to access.
The number of children enrolled
in Pre-Primary schools has
increased from 145,409 in 2008
to 159,291 in 2014 representing
the percentage of 10% while the
number schools increased from
2,132 in 2008 to 2,431 (of which
1420 are public and 1011 are
private) in 2014 representing a
percentage increase of 14%. In
only one year, the number of
public preschools increased from 2
to 1420 preschools, an increase of
70,900%.
The number of classrooms has
increased from 2,677 in 2012 to
3,648 in 2014 representing 36%
increase.
As of now, 60% of Primary schools
have a pre-primary section. In
2014, ECD Kits were distributed
to 1260 schools in all Districts and
Training of teachers was organized
to facilitate the use of those kits.
Hitting the
Millennium
Development Goal
on Universal Primary
Education:
education; and to strengthen the
RELEVANCE of education for
the job market. Together, we have
already achieved a lot. Together,
we can go much further and faster.
The education sector priorities
are aligned to ESSP as a strategic
direction/vision for the education.
General overview of
Education sector in
Rwanda
Historical Perspective:
Education in Rwanda was informal
and delivered largely through the
family. These courses included
the military and war skills, iron
smith and foundry, poetry, basket
making, etc.
Pre-Primary
Education, The
Foundation for
Quality Education:
The mission of the Ministry of
Education (MINEDUC) is to
transform the Rwandan citizen
into skilled human capital for the
socio-economic development of
the country by ensuring equitable
access to quality education focusing
on combating illiteracy, promotion
of science and technology, critical
thinking, and positive values.
has five levels: Pre-Primary (3yrs)
Primary (6yrs), Ordinary level
(3yrs), Advanced level (3yrs),
Tertiary (4yrs) including TVET
and Non-Formal Education.
The Rwandan Education System
The 2013/14-2017/18 Education
Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) is
creating a better education for
everyone in Rwanda, which means
a brighter future for all. The ESSP
has three main objectives: to
increase ACCESS to education for
all; to improve the QUALITY of
Early Childhood Care and
Development has a higher
profile in the government’s
agenda with the establishment
of an inter-ministerial Early
Childhood Development (ECD)
implementation
framework
coordinated by the Ministry of
Gender and Family Promotion
with the education responsibility
The number of pupils in primary
schools has increased from 942,729
in 1994 to 2,399,439 in 2014 with a
variation of 1,456,710 representing
a growth rate of 155%.
The number of girls increased from
475,798 in 1994 to 1,217,724 in
2014 with percentage increase of
(156%), the number of boys also
increased from 466,931 in 1994
to 1,181,715 in 2014, this implies
a percentage increase of (153%).
The number of schools has
significantly increased from 1,882
in 1994 to 2,711 in 2014 with the
percentage increase of (44%). The
number of classrooms has also
been increased from 28,914 in
2012 to 30,011 in 2014. The Net
Enrolment rate in primary schools
stood at 96.8% in 2014.
Secondary Education:
The number of students has
increased from 26,233 (52.3% boys
and 47.7% girls) in 1994/1995 to
565,332 in 2014 (48.5% boys and
Ministry of Education
Access, quality and
relevance emphasized in
the new strategic plan
It does not sufficiently emphasize
the acquisition of skills and
competencies needed by both
society and the labour market.
51.5% girls).
The number of schools increased
from 150 in 1994/1995 to 1,521
in 2014.
Key outcomes:
The number of teachers has
increased from 4,175 in
1994/1995 to 27,116 in 2014.
a) Higher order thinking and
deeper understanding on the
part of learners and teachers
Since the fast-tracking of the Nine
Year Basic Education Program
in 2009 up to the fiscal year
2014/2015, 14,027 classrooms and
28,834 latrines were constructed
and equiped to cater for the
demand for basic Education. The
Nine Year Basic Education is fee
free and compulsory.
b) Smooth progression across
years and stages
c) The curriculum will be covered
in the time available
d) The new competency-based
curriculum is practical and
relevant to student lives
e) The curriculum is related to
the employment needs of the
Rwandan youth
In 2012, the 9YBE was upgraded
to Twelve year basic Education
(12YBE), where students who
start Primary Education have
to complete at least six years of
Secondary Education.
f) The new curriculum promotes
high standards of performance.
It is action oriented.
A competency-based curriculum
involves a complex process of
implementation which relies on
many factors such as political
goodwill which is readily available.
However other factors such as the
availability of trained qualified and
competent teachers, well-resourced
schools, and well sensitized
communities will continue to need
attention. It requires collaboration
with stakeholders most notably,
the local Government through
district mayors, District Education
Officers; sector Education Officers,
Development Partners, Parents/
Teachers Associations, FaithBased Organizations, etc. Each one
of these groups has a role to play.
Together we will succeed.
In the fiscal year 2012/2013, 416
teachers’ houses were constructed
whereby at one school upgraded to
12YBE in each sector, a teachers’
house was provided.
Achievements in
Higher Education:
Higher Education in Rwanda has
grown tremendously:
From just 49 students in 1963
when the only university was in
place (NUR), and with only 3,000
students by 1994, today the sector
has 87,164 students (where 57 %
are in private HLIs).
HLIs have also increased from 1 in
1963 and 3 in 1994 to 45 in 2015
(where 28 HLIs are private).
The number of students that are
self-sponsored have increased too
over years; today 63% are selfsponsored compared to past years
where 100% relied on Government
funding.
Achievements made so far
during the 2014/15 Fiscal Year:
Increase in enrolment from 84,448
in 2013/14 to 87,164 students in
2014/15.
Students in private HLIs increased
from 44,721in 2013/2014 (52%) to
48,112 (57%) in 2014/2015.
There has been increased use of
ODeL especially in Mahatma
Gandhi University, Nyagatare,
Rwamagana and Kibungo nursing
and midwifery schools to deliver
nursing programs by e-learning
mode.
We started putting in place the
higher education sector strategic
plan.
A graduates’ tracer study for the
period 1997-2013 was conducted
and it showed that level of
satisfaction by employers is
80.2% (considering graduates’
competences).
HLIs increased from 38 in 2013 to
45 today.
We are building Human Resource
Capacity Building of the Northern
Corridor Initiative Projects.
There are 57 new postgraduate
institutions that were started.
Setting an enabling
environment for
Private Sector
participation in
education
The countries with advanced
economies, you find that the role
of the private sector is critical;
the private sector represents the
demand. If you want to make your
education system demand driven
you have to make sure that the
private sector plays its part. This
has been a challenge to many
countries because people believe
that it is the responsibility of
governments to supply skills.
Government has put in a place
a Public- Private Dialogue
mechanism to engage the private
sector so that it plays an active role
in TVET. We have also established
a sector skills council; this is an
advisory board that advises the
training side so that the demand
meets the supply.
Reviewing curriculum
to suit national
development goals
The Ministry of education through
Rwanda Education Board (REB)
conducted a series of studies
aimed identifying the strength
and weaknesses in the current
curriculum. According to the
findings, there were weaknesses
which needed to be addressed.
The major one is:
The existing curriculum for
general education is dominantly
knowledge-based
emphasizing
rote learning and memorization
characterized by teacher-centred
pedagogies and methodologies.
How TVET is bridging
the manpower gaps
in the economy:
Skilled workforce is a basic
requirement for driving the engine
of industrial and economic growth,
the Government of Rwanda
identified TVET as one of the
most effective human resource
development strategies to train and
modernize the technical workforce
for national development.
The whole purpose of Technical
and
Vocational
Education
Training (TVET) is to bridge the
gaps particularly in mid-level
technicians that were and are
still lacking in the country. The
Country had not been able to
address this issue for many years,
so government decided to focus on
training low to high end technicians
because TVET can move vertically
Ministry of Education
Access, quality and
relevance emphasized in
the new strategic plan
be aligned with higher education
in the East African Community.
Staff recruitment, a student loan
program and partnerships will be
implemented.
up to the highest level. Due to the
level of economic development
the country is enjoying, the need
for technicians is becoming even
bigger. There has been tremendous
investment in terms of physical
infrastructure and training of
trainers.
Adult Literacy
The adult literacy program is a
priority for education sector; it is
for this reason that Adult literacy
has been strengthened over the
past years. In 2009, a literacy
campaign has been launched to
boost access to adult literacy.
Since 2009 to 2012, 444 literacy
instructors have been trained,
and 8600 senior six leavers
trained have been trained in
2010 to support the instructors.
Under TVET, we have set up
programs that can provide quick
wins for example; we have the
Skills Development Fund, which is
supported by the World Bank. The
fund gives support to the private
sector or private training providers
to initiate training that targets
specific sectors and sub-subsectors.
We have targeted specific sectors
like hospitality which is vital for
the country in terms of earning
foreign exchange. We have not
been able to impact substantially
but there is a trend that is taking
place, it can get better.
the aspect of social inclusion. The
social aspect is considered as a
critical element that TVET can
play. There is need to help people
particularly those in the poor
segment to acquire skills. We have
to ensure that we have a sound
policy that addresses critical issues
particularly targeting segments of
society like the youth. There are
programs that support girls like the
adolescent girls initiative.
The major highlights
One of the aspects of the new
policy is emphasis on the need to
make TVET demand driven. The
second aspect is to establish a
stakeholder’s mechanism so that
when a program is designed, it is
owned by the very stakeholders
and partners; from private to
public.
In the next 2-3 years we plan to
engage companies in what is called
in-company training. One of the
biggest mistakes that companies
have made in the past is to handle
training as it is done in general
education in that there has to be a
classroom, a trainer etc. The new
model suggests that even a company
for example a construction
company can establish a training
wing within the company as long
as the environment is prepared, an
engineer is trained to train others.
Companies can even come together
and form an association and share
a common facility, the key point is
that they have to play their part if
we are to improve the quality of
workers.
Third is the financing mechanism.
TVET is quite expensive compared
to general education therefore
we need to look at alternative
financing for TVET.
Lastly, the policy acknowledges
For TVET to achieve its targets, we
need massive number of people to
engage. The plan is to ensure that
at least 60 percent of graduates
from nine year basic education
(9YBE) enroll for TVET with
the remaining 40 percent going
to general education, this is quite
massive. To achieve this, we are
supporting private investment into
TVET because government cannot
deliver alone. We are putting in
place a Law to facilitate private
providers with incentives so that
they can engage into TVET. People
need to see TVET as an opportunity
for investment.
The other aspect is to plan
for massive marketing and
communication, people need to
know what is going on, people need
to know the good and innovations
taking place, innovation is an
important component of TVET
because it is the graduates from
TVET that are going to change
the economic environment of the
country in different sectors.
We need to keep the momentum
by forging partnerships within the
country and outside with countries
that are advanced in particular
areas of TVET.
University of Rwanda was
established and all higher education
institutions merged within this
entity. Access to higher education
is to be expanded by offering
evening classes, distance learning
opportunities and part-time courses.
Access will also be expanded
with a construction program that
includes additional classrooms,
laboratories and student hostels.
Entry
requirements,
course
content and qualifications will
In order to provide a standard
adult education, an adult
Education Policy and its
strategic plan was developed
and approved by the cabinet, a
ministerial order determining
the organization and functioning
of adult Education promulgated,
an adult literacy curriculum
and
National
qualification
framework for adult education
were elaborated and approved
in 2014.
25 District Education Officers,
416 Sectors educations Officer
and 138 Representatives of
Churches, NWC, NYC, and
Itorero at District Level have
been trained in literacy program
and mobilized to sensitize
the population to join literacy
program. Since 2012 until now
319,046 illiterate adults have
been trained. The culture of
reading has been promoted and
supported by increasing access
to relevant reading materials
for neo-literate adults and by
creating 89 community libraries.
Crosscutting issues:
Special Needs Education &
Inclusive Education:
1000 teachers trained in Special
Needs Education, ie methodologies
of teaching children with different
disabilities, Mobility & orientation
and making local educational
materials.
Three Primary schools of Special
Needs have been upgraded to Nine
Year Basic Education (9YBE) and
one primary upgraded to Twelve
Year Basic Education (12YBE).
The SNE Policy was elaborated
and approved in 2007.
Ministry of Education
Access, quality
and relevance
emphasized
in the new
strategic plan
facilitator empowering students
with critical thinking, problem
solving and innovation.
Girls’ Education:
• Girls hostels were built in
Huye Campus
The ‘One Laptop per Child’ (OLPC)
program provides primary students
with an entry-level experience in
basic computer literacy. By the
end of 2014, this program within
REB had distributed over 236,500
units to 661 primary schools
since 2008 throughout Rwanda,
including the on-site training for
more than 4,650 head teachers and
classroom teachers. The significant
reduction in pupils per computer
at primary level is due to large
purchases of OLPC units (Table
7.2). At least three challenges
remain for OLPC, one being
infrastructure provision (electrical
power and costs, and equipment
purchases and maintenance), a
second being resistance to the
adoption of technology by some
primary teachers, and finally
public perception around the
use and security of OLPC units
(MINECOFIN, 2013b).
• Hygiene facilities that are
gender sensitive (Sanitary
pads) provided in 12 YBE
Schools
• Construction of girls` room
in 9-12YBE schools
• Construction of separate
toilets for girls ,boys and
staff in all schools
In Primary schools, girls’
enrolment has increased from
1,114,111 in 2008 to 1,217,724
in 2014 with a percentage
increase of 9.3% while the
number of boys increased from
1,076,159 in 2008 to 1,181,715
in 2014 with a percentage
increase of 9.8%.
In Secondary schools, the
number of students (both boys
and girls) continued to increase
over the past seven years. Girls
increased from 137,815 in
2008 to 188,115 in 2014 with
a percentage increase of 36.5%
while boys increased from
150,221 in 2008 to 161,577 in
2014 with a percentage increase
of 7.6%.
Rwanda started this transformation
in primary schools from grade 4
to 6 with a one to one deployment
of laptops in 661 schools with
this process still on-going. This
deployment required 4 critical
elements:
In tertiary Institutions, the
number of female students
increased from 20,187 in 2008
to 391,146 in 2014 with a
percentage increase of 1837.6%
while that of male students
increased from 27,219 in
2008 to 47,867 in 2014 with a
percentage increase of 75.9%.
• the upgrade of infrastructure
in schools
• the development and
acquisition of digital content
• the teachers professional
development in basic ICTs
and in the methodology of
teaching using technology
SCHOOL SPORTS
School competitions held annually
in sport and culture in different
games organized at District,
Provincial, National and Regional
levels.
During these competitions, talented
students are detected and put in the
“School Sports Training Centers”
to enable them to develop their
talents while normally following
studies.
SCHOOL HEALTH
AND NUTRITION
Guidelines for School Health
developed and disseminated to
schools.
Campaign on WASH implemented
in schools
School health policy and strategic
plan developed and disseminated
to development partners and
school health stakeholders
1136 teachers were trained on
school Health including Nutrition
and HIV&AIDS prevention.
ICT in education/ ELeaning in Rwanda
Rwanda Education System is
moving toward a student’s centric
education supported by the
integration of technology. The
use of technology enables better
teaching and better learning with
students using digital, multimedia
rich, interactive lessons enabling
self-paced
and
collaborative
learning. With this new approach
the teacher becomes more of a
• A support, maintenance and
repair program