A total of 134, 347 candidates today start their national examinations at both ordinary and advanced levels of secondary education.

Significantly, the number of students sitting ordinary level exams shot up almost threefold to 88,111, from 31,101 last year.

This, officials from Rwanda Education Board (Reb) attributed to the continued success of the 12-Year Basic Education programme, which was introduced in 2012 as an upgrade from the Nine-Year Basic Education.

The programme was introduced by government to ensure that all students can go up to at least Senior Six.

Speaking to The New Times yesterday, Emmanuel Muvunyi, the deputy director-general in charge of examinations at Reb, said all is set and that they expect no irregularities during the process.

"We didn’t encounter any problem when conducting the primary leaving examinations (last week) and we expect the same during the ordinary and advanced level examinations,” Muvunyi said, adding that they have put in place strict measures to ensure no malpractices.

He also said they had made tight deployment of invigilators and security officials at all the 337 examination centres where the exams will take place across the country.

The centres will be coordinated at the district level, according to Muvunyi.

Among this year’s candidates 65,974 are boys (at both ordinary and advanced levels), while the girls are 68,373.

There is also a major increase in candidates in A-Level, where 46,236 are slated to sit this academic year, against last year’s 33,279.

The examinations are expected to end on November 7.

Optimistic

"I am just waiting for the examinations to start and I join university,” Jenifer Mukangarambe, a Senior Six student at Essa Nyarugunga, said, adding that it has always been her goal since she started school.

"I want to study Business Statistics and Applied Economics at Makerere University  (in Uganda) and my aim is to excel in economics paper in particular, to be able to pursue my career of choice,” Mukangarambe said.