Hard work, sleepless nights, faith, support from teachers and parents are some of the factors some of the star performers in the recently released Advanced Level examinations cited for their success.

Out of 36,916 candidates who passed the senior six exams, 19,374 are girls, according to the results.

The general pass rate for 2016 results improved by 0.3 per cent from 89.2 per cent in 2015 to 89.5 per cent.

Amen Mugisha, from Sonrise High School in Musanze District, emerged the overall best in arts combination nationwide.

She took History, Economics and Literature (HEL) and scored triple A.

Mugisha said she always wanted to prove that girls were not different from boys. "I am so overwhelmed. I didn’t see it coming but hey! To be a girl doesn’t mean that you can’t be the best in the country and perhaps that is what I was trying to prove. I am thankful to God that my dream came true,” Mugisha said.

Mugisha’s dream is to study Psychotherapy and she already won the only scholarship spot given to the best performer by her school to study in one of the best schools in the Minnesota, United States, she said.

Ronaldo Rwubuzizi, from Nu-Vision High School in Gasabo District, emerged tenth in sciences countrywide. He told Saturday Times the introduction of competency-based curriculum has been vital in improving the country’s education system, hence his success.

"It is satisfactory to get such results at the end. I really worked hard for it; I read, prayed, conducted research and did a lot of practice in the laboratory. My teachers were of great help and of course my parents have supported me from day one,” Rwubuzizi said.

Rwubuzizi is currently a tutor at his former high school, helping out with the Physics class. His dream is to join one of the Ivy League medical schools and become a neurosurgeon.

"Through tutoring, I can be able to transfer a bit of my knowledge to the younger and help them pass too. I hope they can learn something out of what I have achieved and be inspired to pass better than I did.

Joining an Ivy League school would give me the best training and a better chance to become a well-trained neurosurgeon,” he said.

Joseph Kayijuka, from Lycee de Kigali in Nyarugenge District is the fourth best candidate in the Physics-Chemistry-Mathematics (PCM) combination. He says that the introduction of online research enabled him and his colleagues to take own initiatives in digging deeper into the subjects.

"The school’s approach to encourage students to do their own online research in the computer laboratory and read more books in the library, while teachers came in to give a helping hand paid off. It was really important.

John Buteera, Kayijuka’s father, lauded his son’s school for "challenging the students to do own research. I don’t like spoon-feeding kind of education and LDK encourages students to do a lot of work on their own which I think was vital in his success,” he said.

Cynthia Uwase Munyaneza, from Nu-Vision High School in Gasabo, emerged among the best 25 in arts combination, scoring triple ‘A’ in History, Economics and Geography (HEG).

She told Saturday Times that her success was down to "working hard, receiving help from friends and teachers and moral support from parents. My parents were so encouraging even though I was in a boarding school – they believed in me.”

Charles Munyaneza, the father to Uwase, who happens to be the Executive Secretary of the National Electoral Commission, said he was proud of his daughter.

"I am so proud of my daughter. We, as parents did our part and teachers played their role too. I want to encourage all parents, even those that are always busy with work, to always find time for their children because this will play a big role in their success in life,” Munyaneza said.

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