At least 105,000 students are yet to report to their respective schools, the Ministry of Education has announced.

The report by this Ministry shows that, under the 2022/23 academic year, 3,647,758 students were supposed to be at school by now.

However, Christophe Nsengiyaremye, the Director General of Education Sector Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation at the Ministry of Education, told the National Broadcaster that so far 3,542, 233 students have reported back to schools where they had been deployed, meaning that 3 per cent or 105,525 students have not reported to school.

In the Western Province, MINEDUC said 3.6 per cent didn’t report to schools where they were placed.

Francois Habitegeko, Governor of Western province, told The New Times that they are carrying out an assessment in all schools in the province to know why some students are yet to report to their schools.

"We are in a week dedicated to education and we have to know the whereabouts of the students who are yet to report to schools,” he said.

"So far, we have realised that some students switched to private schools, and others are trying to change schools as some opted to go schools close to their families and therefore didn’t report to boarding schools. Others dropped out of school for various reasons,” he said.

He said the province is working with different stakeholders to trace school dropouts.

He added that some students also didn’t report to TVET schools where they were deployed.

Pie Nambajimana, the Manager of College La Lumiere de Gashonga TVET School in the Western province, said that they received 55 students out of 160 students placed in the school.

The government had placed 45 per cent of the ordinary-level graduates in TVET schools but officials said they are assessing if all students reported to these TVET schools.

In the Southern Province, 0.7 per cent of all students (primary, nursery, and secondary students) have not yet reported to school.

"In primary and nursery schools, attendance is higher thanks to the school feeding programme and the contribution fee from parents has also been cut,” said Alice Kayitesi, Governor of Southern Province.

The Northern Province has 4.4 per cent of students who are yet to report to schools where they were deployed.

Dancille Nyirarugero, Governor of Northern Province, said that most of the students who didn’t report to their respective schools include those placed in senior one and senior four.

"These might include students who were placed in schools located in provinces that are far from where they live,” she explained.

She said sensitisation about reporting back to schools is ongoing amid the education week.

In the Eastern Province, at least 95.6 per cent of students have reported to school while 98.9 per cent reported to school in the City of Kigali.

Emmanuel Gasana, Governor of Eastern Province, said that parents, teachers, local leaders, and other stakeholders are being engaged to trace students who might have dropped out of school.

"School feeding programme has been introduced in primary schools which will reduce school dropouts,” he said.

About 6,000 teachers yet to report as well

The report by the Ministry of Education shows that about 6,000 teachers have not yet reported to schools where they are supposed to teach.

Officials explained that some teachers, despite having passed exams, have not yet reported due to various factors.

"Some teachers said the schools are far from their residence while others said they have not yet got all required documents such as criminal records. Others have not yet collected their academic qualifications despite having completed their education,” explained Leon Mugenzi, Head of Teacher Development, Management, Career Guidance and Counselling Department at Rwanda Basic Education Board (REB).

He said the Ministry has advocated for them to allow teachers to report to schools by end of October.

"The teachers who will not report to schools will be replaced because there are so many who are on the waiting list,” he said.