Following the successful implementation of the Nine Year Basic Education the Government of Rwanda put in place the twelve years basic education (12YBE) programme. The implementation of this 12YBE programme started in February 2012 with the intake of 37,221 in general secondary school and 5,640 students in the TVET streams. As a result, the number of students in secondary education schools continued to increase with a total of 534,712 enrolled in 2012 against a baseline figure of 288,036 in 2008.

The examination results of the first cohort of students graduating from the 12YBE were out by February 2015. Out of all the students that sat for the 2104 general secondary school and TVET examinations, 59,665 passed. Further, in 2014 compared to 2013 the numbers of students completing general secondary education increased by 49%.