Boarding school students started returning to their respective schools on Thursday, January 5.
To ease travel arrangements, the government usually arranges buses to transport students departing from Kigali and those passing through Kigali to other provinces to their schools. The meeting point used to be Kigali Stadium in Nyamirambo.
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Due to the renovation work being carried out at Kigali Stadium, the meeting point changed to the ULK/Gisozi stadium for four days of travel up to January 8.
Speaking to the media, Augustin Vianney Kavutse, the head of the quality assurance department at the National Examination and Schools Inspection Authority (NESSA), on January 5, said that the changes were communicated in advance.
"Parents are encouraged to send their children to school on time according to the scheduled transport calendar, to avoid high turn-ups in the last days which may paralyze public transport,” he said.
Kavutse warned transporters against hiking transport fare during the return to school period.
Classes for the second term are set to begin, across the country, on Monday, January 9.
Claire Uwimana, a parent who had accompanied her child to the stadium, said that the holidays were short but they tried to prepare their children for the new semester in terms of paying school fees, revision, and providing school materials.
Uwimana encouraged other parents to send their children to school early, and those without school fees to talk to their respective schools so as to avoid delaying the students.
The calendar
According to NESA, the students from the districts of Nyaruguru, Huye, Nyabihu, Rubavu, Musanze, Rwamagana, and Kayonza departed first on Thursday, January 5.
On January 6, students from the districts of Muhanga, Nyamagabe, Rulindo, Gakenke, Karongi, Rutsiro, Ngoma, and Kirehe will follow. On January 7, students from the districts of Nyanza, Kamonyi, Gisumbi, Nyamasheke, Rusizi, Gatsibo, and Nyagatare will travel.
Finally, students from Nyarugenge, Gasabo, Kicukiro, Gisagara, Ruhango, Burera, Ngororero, and Bugesera districts will depart on January 8, in time to begin the term on January 9.