GIRLs performed slightly better than boys in the 2012 Primary Leaving Exams (PLE) although boys top the list of best ten pupils countrywide, according to results released yesterday. Of the 166,154 candidates who sat for the PLE, - 138,058 (83.09 per cent) passed.  However, 54.09 per cent of them were girls compared to 45.91 per cent of the boys. There was also an increase in the number of candidates who sat for the examinations, from 154,957 in 2011.The 2012 performance represents a slight improvement compared to 2011 results where 82.75 per cent of the candidates passed the exams, with boys dominating with 52.7 per cent and 47.3 per cent respectively.Nine candidates from two private boarding schools from the Eastern Province dominated this year’s list of the ten best pupils in the county. New Life Academy from Kayonza district  has five  pupils among the top ten while Bright Academy of Nyagatare district has four.Good Harvest of Kicukiro district in Kigali completes the list with one pupil. Famous Joseph Rafiki and two of his classmates from New Life Academy lead the pack (10 overall best performers) which has two girls.The Eastern Province also dominates the best performance in different subjects with New-Life Academy taking all the top 15 spots in Mathematics and Bright Academy all the top ten in Kinyarwanda and 10 places out of 35 in English. Both schools also dominate other disciplines like sciences and social studies. While releasing the results, John Rutayisire, the Director General of Rwanda Education Board (REB) said Rwanda  had adopted the East African Grading system. This, according to Emmanuel Muvunyi, REB’s deputy director general in charge of exams and accreditation department, was done  for harmionisation with other  EAC members."It will help in mobility and transferability. Which means that admission will be easier if you go to Kenya and Uganda schools. It’s also an adavantage for students,” he said.  John Mugabo, the mayor of Kayonza district where New Life Academy is located said, he is not surprised that they produced the best students in the primary and secondary school results. "Besides infrastructures, water and electricity, the school has competent teachers who have a mastery of the English language and it has a good administration,” he said.New Life School belongs to New Life Assembly Church.The Minister of Education Dr Vincent Biruta, said only two cases of cheating were registered countrywide last year.Pupils and parents were also advised to visit the REB website (reb.rw) or SMS the registration number to 489. The selection of Senior One and Four students is due on January 22-23 in Kigali, while first term opens on February 4.