The cabinet has made changes to the official schooling and working hours and introduced a 'flexible' hour in the workplace.

According to resolutions of Friday's cabinet meeting released by the Prime Minister’s office, classes will be opening at 8:30a.m (they currently open at 7a.m), while official working hours will begin at 8a.m with employees having the option of working remotely in the first hour.

The changes, which will take effect in the New Year, are designed to "promote quality education as well as improve both workplace productivity and family wellbeing.”

Both school and official working hours will stretch through 5p.m. This means employees will now be working eight hours a day, down from nine currently - and a combined 40 hours a week (instead of 45).

"Official working hours will be eight hours from 9:00am to 5:00pm (excluding a one-hour lunch break), and including a flexible hour between 8:00am 9:00am, where an employee may work remotely,” the communique reads in part.

The changes mean a process will soon get under way to review the 2018 Law Regulating Labour in Rwanda, with the statement adding that further details will be released soon.

The changes are expected to significantly help improve parenting and protect young children from physical exhaustion due to waking up so early.