For the second year in a row, no students from schools in Kigali made it to the top rankings, as noted in the Advanced Level (A-Level) examination results, released on November 15.
All the top 18 performers come from upcountry schools, continuing a trend from 2023.
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The top performers list is led by Southern Province, with eight candidates, followed by Western Province with six. Northern Province has three representatives, and Eastern Province has one. In contrast, the City of Kigali did not produce any top performers.
The schools which top candidates represented are: ESTB Busogo, Lycée Saint Alexandre Sauli de Muhura, Kivu Hills Academy (with two candidates), École d&039;Art de Nyundo, Nyanza TSS (with two candidates), Rwanda Coding Academy, IPRC West/TSS, Saint Laurent de Gaseke TSS, GS Murama, École des Sciences Byimana, Collège du Christ-Roi, G.S.O Butare, TTC Save (with three candidates), and TTC Mururu.
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Parents of some of these successful candidates shared insights on how students can excel, regardless of where they study.
Innocent Munywera, a 64-year-old parent from Rutsiro District, emphasized that the key to success lies in student motivation rather than the location of the school.
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"It’s not about where the school is; it’s about how motivated the student is. You must support your child, help them with what they may forget, and ensure they are not distracted,” Munywera said.
"Teachers do their best, but parents' support is equally essential.”
He urged other parents to respect and nurture their children’s academic goals.
Jean Damascene Ntibarikure, a 45-year-old parent from Gicumbi District, expressed pride in his son’s achievement at national level, despite studying at a 12-Year Basic Education (12YBE) school which is located in upcountry.
"I made sure he had all the school supplies he needed without delay. I want to urge other parents to understand that there is no difference between day schools and boarding schools," he said, adding that the real difference lies in the mindset, which needs to be changed.