The education sector has undergone considerable changes. Amidst challenges, persistent efforts have remained from the side of the government to ensure that quality education is provided. Major developments have hence happened due to these relentless efforts. Some of them include the establishment of public nursery schools and more vocational schools. These and many more are an indication of some of these developments as shown below; Infrastructure development Primary and secondary students right after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi were taking classes under difficult circumstances. Classes were overcrowded and, in some cases, students used to study under trees. Most of the classes present in those early years were not cemented which caused severe respiratory sicknesses among children. However, the government invested in education and increased primary and secondary schools so as to facilitate learners to study effectively. Recent statistics indicate that primary and secondary schools increased from 2,877 in 2017 to 2,909 in 2018 and 2,963 in the next year. Meanwhile, the classrooms also scaled up: In 2017, there were 31,927 classrooms which became 32,548 in the following year and scaled up to 34,4468 in 2019. Introduction of technical and vocational education and training schools The education system had vocational schools called CERAI ((Centre d’Enseignement Rural et Artisanal Intégré) which trained primary school graduates who were not able to join high schools on vocational works related to agriculture, livestock and farming and carpentry among other trainings. So, among the National Strategy for Transformation I from 2017-2024 recommendations, the government had to target having 60% of graduates from TVET and vocational training centres. Appearing before the parliament last year, Prime Minister Ngirente said that over 80 TVET centres were being built for only TVET schools with the target of having at least one TVET school in each sector though we had 385 schools by 2020. Different research findings have indicated that in 2019, 64.9% of TVET schools graduates and 75.2% of Polytechnique schools graduate get employed in less than 6 months after graduation. This decreased unemployment status among TVET students from 18.7 in 2017 to 15.4% in 2019. Basic education programs Nine and twelve-year basic education came as a prerequisite for students who did not pass to secondary schools with flying colours. Those who had failed immediately dropped out until nine and twelve years’ basic education was created to facilitate them. Nine years’ basic education started in 2009 and was upgraded to 12 years in 2012. As of today, there are 584 schools with the nine years’ basic education program and 523 for twelve years’ basic education. Public nursery schools Most nursery schools in the country belonged to private investors, which has changed of now. The government realised students have to be instilled in the culture of learning since they are still toddlers. This allows students to start primary schools with basic learning skills, which heightens the pace of learning as the basics have been covered in the nursery school. As of 2020, there were 3,401 nursery schools countrywide with 5,789 classrooms. Attendance rate stood at 24.6% with a target of 45% in 2024. One laptop per child In 2008, the government initiated “One Laptop Per Child Program” to usher Rwandan students in the coming era of technology. So far, 275,000 laptops have been distributed in 1,523 schools and figures from the National Institute of Statistics in Rwanda indicate that students with technological skills increased from 6.5% of those aged 15-24 in 2010 to 10.9 in 2014 and 15.2 in 2020. Moreover, in 2019, 260 schools of nine years’ basic education and 724 high schools had received internet Wi-Fi network.
