Education in Rwanda

Joined Commonwealth: November 2009

Population: 9,998,000 (2009)

GDP p.c. growth: 1.7% p.a. 1990-2009

UN HDI 2010: world ranking 152

Net primary enrolment: 95.9% (2008)

Gross tertiary enrolment: 4.8% (2009)

Public spending on education in Rwanda was 4.3% of GDP in 2008. There are six years of compulsory education starting at age seven, followed by six years of secondary school divided into two equal-length consecutive stages of three years. School education in Rwanda is compulsory and free of charge for the first nine years. The net enrolment rate at primary level is 95.9% (2008). The pupil teacher ratios at primary and secondary level are 68:1 and 23:1 respectively (2009). The adult literacy rate is 65% (2007).

Higher education is provided by universities, institutes and colleges, both public and private. Public higher education institutions are largely semi-autonomous. The National University of Rwanda is the leading tertiary institution with faculties of medicine, law, economics, sciences and agriculture. Other leading institutions, in terms of student intake, include the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology, the Kigali Independent University (the largest private university) and the Kigali Institute of Education.

In 2008, Rwanda’s cabinet opted to make English, instead of French, the language of instruction in the country’s education system.