Candidates who sat for primary and lower secondary education (O’level) national exams performed better than their colleagues in the previous year as indicated by results released on Tuesday by the Ministry of Education.

The general pass rate in primary leaving examination is 86.3 per cent as compared to 85.4 per cent in 2016 while the general pass rate in 2017 for O’level is 89.9 per cent compared to 89 per cent in 2016.

That performance, along with the increase of the number of students who sat for the exams, were applauded by the Minister of State in charge of Primary and Secondary Education in the Ministry of Education, Isaac Munyakazi, as he released the results at the ministry’s offices in Kigali.

A total of 228,048 students sat for primary leaving examinations last year, a significant increase from the 187,139 who sat the previous year.

For ordinary level, 96,595 candidates sat last year, as compared to 89,421 who had sat the year before.

"It was clear that the number of students increased this year and we are happy about that,” Munyakazi told journalists.

He attributed the increase in the number of candidates who sat the exams to the more increasing access of Rwandan children to the country’s education system which has given advantage to education for all.

"Going to school is no longer a favour; it is a constitutional right. It is the right of Rwandan children to access education and this is reflected at their completion level,” the Minister of State said.

He also added that awareness campaigns have helped whereby parents keep their children in schools instead of getting them out to go and do illegal child labour.

"So far every parent is told to keep their children in school and whenever children are out of school the reasons are identified and the kids are sent back to school,” he said.

Candidates who sat for the exams will today establish whether they stand a chance to advance to the next level of their studies.

Secondary schools will open doors for the next academic year on January 22 and the state minister urged parents to send their children to school in time.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw