Overview of the Country

Background:

  • Official name: Republic of Rwanda 1
  • Capital: Kigali1
  • Location: Estern Africa 1
  • Bordering countries: DR Congo (West), Uganda (North), Tanzania (East), Burundi (South) 1
  • Official languages: Kinyarwanda, English, French and Kiswahili 1
  • Population: 13.2 million (2022) 2
  • GDP: 14.1 Billion US$ (2023) 3
  • GNI per capita, PPP (current international): $ 3,290 (2023) 4

Membership of Regional Economic Communities (RECs):

Additional Resources:

Sources:

  1. Government of the Republic of Rwanda
  2. National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda
  3. World Bank
  4. World Bank

Critical Sector Strategic Priorities in Education include: 1

  • Enhanced Quality of Learning Outcomes
  • Strengthened Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and Management of Teachers
  • Strengthened STEM Education
  • Enhanced Use of ICT in Education
  • Increased Access to Education
  • Strengthened School Infrastructure and Facilities
  • Equitable Opportunities for All
  • Innovation and Responsive Research and Development  
  • Strengthened Governance and Accountability


Policy and Strategy References

Education sector strategic plan

National Policy of Persons with Disabilities and Four Years Strategic Plan

National policy on Special Needs and Inclusive Education strategic plan

Gender policy

Joint Review of the Education Sector

National policy on Adult Education strategic plan

Early Childhood Education policy strategic plan

Science, Technology and Innovation policy

ICT sector strategic plan

Youth policy

National School Health strategic plan

School Sports strategic plan

Climate change strategy

Future Education Scenario

Education Law  

Additional Resources:

Sources:

  1. Ministry of Education, Rwanda. (2019). Education sector strategic plan 2018/19 to 2023/24. Kigali: Ministry of Education

Governance Structure for Education:

  • The Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) is responsible for transforming Rwanda’s citizens into skilled human capital to drive the country's socio-economic development. The governance structure includes
  • Rwanda Basic Education Board (REB): A government agency that implements policies, manages the curriculum, and oversees teacher training, assessments, and other key functions related to basic education.
  • Rwanda TVET Board (RTB): Oversees technical and vocational education and training (TVET) at both secondary and higher education levels. Its key responsibilities include:
    • Implementing national TVET policies.
    • Developing TVET curricula.
    • Accrediting TVET institutions.
    • Facilitating partnerships with the private sector.
    • Ensuring the quality of education in technical and vocational centres. 
  • Higher Education Council (HEC): Ensures the quality of education in higher learning institutions, aiming to produce graduates with skills to contribute to Rwanda’s socio-economic development

Education System Structure: 1

The education system in Rwanda is managed by the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) and consists of the following components:

  • Basic Education (BE):
    • Pre-primary: Targets children aged 3 to 6 years.
    • Primary: Six years of compulsory and free education (Grade 1 to Grade 6).
    • Secondary: Divided into lower secondary (Grades 7 to 9) and upper secondary (Grades 10 to 12).
    • Includes non-formal or Adult Basic Education (ABE).
  • Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET): Provides skills training at both secondary and tertiary levels.
  • Higher Education: Comprises universities and other tertiary institutions, offering advanced academic and professional training

Additional Resources:

Sources:

  1. Education sector strategic plan 2018/19 to 2023/24

Total (2019): 1

  • Pre-primary: 282,428 learners in 3,401 schools
  • Primary: 2,512,465 pupils in 2,961 schools
  • General secondary: 648,947 students in 1,452 schools
  • Primary school enrolment: 98% (UNICEF 2019) 2

School age population (2023): 3

  • Pre-primary: 1,120,831
  • Primary: 2,064,239
  • Lower secondary: 974,750
  • Upper secondary: 956,138

Gross enrolment ratio (2022): 3

  • Pre-primary: no data found
  • Primary: 134.93%
  • Lower Secondary: 55.61%
  • Upper secondary: 27.66%

Completion rates (2020): 4

  • Primary: 62.86%
  • Lower Secondary: 30.05%
  • Upper Secondary: 20.70%

Out-of-School rate (2021): 4

  • Primary school age: 8.78%
  • Lower secondary school age: 8.74%
  • Upper secondary school age: 43.85%

Additional Resources:

Sources: 

  1. MINEDUC
  2. The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF). (2019). UNICEF RWANDA Country Profile
  3. UIS Data
  4. UIS SDG4 Data

Learning outcomes from National Examination and School Inspection Authority: 1

Primary 3 Learning Outcomes:

  • Kinyarwanda:
    • Familiar Word Reading: 75% of students scored below performance categories, while 22% of students reached the grade-level reading performance benchmark of reading at least 40 correct words per minute.
    • Oral Reading Fluency: 33% were below benchmark, while 54% of students reached the benchmark of reading at least 40 correct words per minute.
    • Reading Comprehension: 68% of students answered at least four comprehension questions correctly. However, 9% of students scored zero.
  • English: 10.08% of students met the benchmark, while 89.92% did not.
  • Numeracy: 60.94% of students met the benchmark, while 39.06% did not.

Primary 6 Learning Outcomes:

  • English: 38.55% of students met the benchmark, while 61.45% did not.
  • Numeracy: 32.14% of students met the benchmark, while 67.86% did not.

Senior 3 (Third and final year of Lower Secondary Education) Learning Outcomes:

  • English: 42.78% of students met the benchmark, while 57.22% did not.
  • Numeracy: 41.51% of students met the benchmark, while 58.49% did not.
  • Science: 43.43% of students met the benchmark, while 56.57% did not.

Proportion of children and young people achieving at least a minimum proficiency level by sex: 2

Reading:

  • In grades 2/3: No data found
  • At the end of primary: No data found
  • At the end of lower secondary: No data found

Mathematics:

  • In grades 2/3: No data found
  • At the end of primary: No data found
  • At the end of lower secondary: No data found 

Additional Resources:

Sources:

  1. National Examination and School Inspection Authority (NESA). (2022). Learning achievement in Rwandan schools: Executive summary report
  2. UIS

Number of teachers: 1

  • Total: 89,492
  • Pre-primary: 580
  • Primary: 59,866
  • Secondary: 29,046

Percentage of teachers qualified according to the national standards (2022): 2

  • Pre-primary: 52.43%
  • Primary school: 76.05%
  • Lower secondary: 86.37%
  • Upper secondary: 69.21%

Percentage of teachers trained according to the national standards:

  • Pre-primary: No data found
  • Primary school: No data found
  • Lower secondary: No data found
  • Upper secondary: No data found

Additional Resources:

Sources:

  1. Teacher Development, Management and Career Guidance and Counselling Department – REB (MINEDUC) 
  2. UIS

School infrastructure and facilities / Electricity: 1

  • Primary Education: 38.85% (2021)
  • Lower Secondary Education: 65.03% (2021)
  • Upper Secondary Education: 92.46% (2020)

School infrastructure and facilities / Single‐sex basic sanitation facilities: 1

  • Primary Education: 90.57% (2017)
  • Lower Secondary Education: no data found
  • Upper Secondary Education: 63.36% (2019)

Number of desks by school status: 2

  • Total: 1,890,226 (2022/23)
  • Public schools: 691,551
  • Government-subsidized: 936,345
  • Private schools: 262,330

Average pupils per desk: 2

  • Average: 3 (2022/23)
  • Public schools: 3
  • Government-subsidized: 3
  • Private schools: 2

Additional Resources:

Sources: 

  1. UIS SDG4 Data
  2. 2022/23 Education Statistical Yearbook

Total: 1

  • Number of TVET trainees: 85,587 (February 2020)
  • Number of TVET schools: 496 (2024)
  • Number of Public Integrated Polytechnic Regional Colleges (IPRCs) and Polytechnics: 08 (February 2020)
  • Number of Private IPRCs and Polytechnics: 09 (February 2020)

Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months (15-64 years old):  2

  • Both sexes: 16.42% (2022)
  • Male: 16.97%
  • Female: 15.91%

Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months (15-24 years old):  2

  • Both sexes: 42.52% (2022)
  • Male: 41.53%
  • Female: 43.50%

Proportion of 15- to 24-year-olds enrolled in vocational education: 2

  • Both sexes: 3.54% (2021)
  • Male: 3.68%
  • Female: 3.39 %

Share of youth not in employment, education or training (NEET): 3

  • Both sexes: 27.9% (2023)
  • Male: 24.5%
  • Female: 31.3%

Number of people 15-35 years old: 4

  • Total: 5,242,032 (2024)
  • Employed: 2,214,234 people (42.2%) 
  • Unemployed: 347,547 people (6.6%) 
  • Inactive: 1,492,407 people (28.5%) 
  • Student: 1,187,230 people (22.7%)

Additional Resources:

Sources:

  1. MINEDUC / TVET Schools Geographic Information System
  2. UIS
  3. International Labour Organization (ILO)
  4. Africa Youth Employment Clock
  5. UIS
  6. MINEDUC

Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education: 1

  • Both sexes: 7.03% (2022)
  • Male: 7.94%
  • Female: 6.12%

Number of graduates from Higher Learning Institutions (2006/2007 to 2018/2019): 2

  • From Public Higher Learning Institutions:  87,558
  • From Private Higher Learning Institutions: 92,308

Number of accredited Higher Education institutions: 2

  • Total: 40
  • 3 public and 37 privates
  • 31 universities and 9 polytechnics

Additional Resources:

Sources:

  1. UIS
  2. MINEDUC

Gender Parity Index (GPI) Gross enrolment ratio (2022): 1

  • Primary: 1.00
  • Lower secondary: 1.18
  • Upper secondary: 1.12

Adjusted Gender Parity Index (GPIA) Gross enrolment ratio (2022): 2

  • Tertiary: 0.77

Proportion of schools with adapted infrastructure and materials for students with disabilities (2021): 2

  • Primary: 37.66%
  • Lower secondary: 43.69%
  • Upper secondary: 67.25% 

Additional Resources:

Sources:

  1. UIS
  2. UIS SDG4 Data

Expenditure on education: 1

  • Government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP: 4.14% (2023)
  • Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government expenditure: 12.20% (2023)

Additional Resources: 

Sources: 

  1. UIS SDG4 Data 

Literacy rate by age group (2022): 1

  • 15+ years: 78.76%
  • 15-24 years: 89.97%
  • 25-64 years: 76.82%
  • 65+ years: 42.05%

Literacy rate by sex (2022): 1

  • Males: 81.03%
  • Females: 76.70%

Sources:

  1. UIS SDG4 Data

Proportion of schools with access to internet for pedagogical purposes (2021): 1

  • Lower secondary: 50.84%
  • Upper secondary: 62.61%

Proportion of secondary schools with access to computers for pedagogical purposes (2021): 1

  • Lower secondary: 82.87%
  • Upper secondary: 87.27%

Additional Resources:

Sources:

  1. UIS SDG4 Data

Total:

  • Refugees and asylum seekers: No data found 1
  • Internally Displaced Persons due to conflict or natural disasters: 24,000 2

Sources:

  1. UNHCR Operational Data Portal – UNHCR
  2. Global Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre