Results of the 2016 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), released yesterday, show that girls beat boys in general performance.

The results were announced along with that of O-Level by the State Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Isaac Munyakazi.

The results show that at both levels, girls outperformed boys, with slight improvement in performance compared to the previous year.

Out of 187,139 candidates who sat PLE last year, 103,445 were girls, representing 55.28 per cent, while 83,694 were boys, representing 44.72 per cent.

Some 159,785 candidates, representing 85.4 per cent, passed the national exams, an improvement compared to 2015 pass rate that stood at 84.8 per cent.

Among those who passed, 88,068 (55.1 per cent) were girls, according to the results.

The results also indicate that 9,957 candidates, representing 5.3 per cent, passed in Division One compared to 4.04 per cent in 2015 – an increase of 1.28 per cent.

Top performers

Christa Rubayiza Ngutete, from Gatenga Sector in Kicukiro District, topped the list of 11 best performers, while Aimé Praise Manzi from Runda Sector in Kamonyi District came second on the list.

Jean Luc Rugwiza from Gatenga, Kicukiro District, and Souvenir Habakubana, from Shyogwe Sector in Muhanga District, were third and fourth, respectively.

Other top performers in the order include Cyndy Bwiza Nina from Gasabo District, Kenny Lieva Kirenga from Bugesera District, Benitha Kwizera from Musanze District, Merve Prince Ngenzi from Huye District.

Others are Kevin Ndahayo, from Nyagatare District, Shakira Munganyinka and Happy Gasangwa from Kicukiro District.

‘Govt efforts paying off’

Commenting on the performance of girls, Janvier Ismail Gasana, the director-general of Rwanda Education Board (REB), said the results show that the Government’s efforts to promote girls’ education is yielding fruit.

"You all know the efforts that are being invested (by the Government) in promoting girls education. Beating their male counterparts shows such efforts are bearing fruits,” he said.

He added that it is also a clear indication that education is evolving but insisted that a lot still needs to be done to ensure that more girls are among top performers.

"We are not yet satisfied as we have not yet achieved the performance target because even if we are happy that girls beat boys, we still see boys topping the list of top performers. We want the trend to be reversed and see more girls even in Division One,” he added.

Munyakazi said the fact that girls performed better than boys, unlike in the past when girls were favoured through affirmative action, reflect that girls have proved that their intellectual capacity is as high as the one of boys.

"Female students really do well in school and have proved that they are able to use their intellectual capacity to compete with their male counterparts. The exams were marked in the same way for both without any favour and this underlines the fact that girls are able,” he said.

Students can access their exam results on phone. For PLE candidates, one can write P6 – full index number and send SMS to 489.

For O-Level, a candidate will write S3, index number and send SMS on 489.

Students can also check for the schools they have been admitted to from January 15.

The first term will start January 23 for all the students in both primary and secondary schools, including new students in Senior One and Senior Four as they have time to prepare, according to Munyakazi.

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