The transformation began in the early 2000s, when Rwanda was still grappling with limited resources. Children often walked long distances with packed meals, returning home late after lessons. Some spent up to 10 hours a day commuting. It wasn't just the childrenâ€"teachers, too, faced similarly difficult journeys to reach remote schools.
During a recent address to Parliament, former Prime Minister Dr. Edouard Ngirente reflected on those challenges. He recalled that in some regions, students walked nearly 19 kilometers daily to attend classes.
'A seven or eight-year-old child walking such distances couldn't attend school every day. One day in class meant the next had to be spent recovering,' he noted.
In response, the government launched an ambitious classroom expansion program. By 2020, over 22,000 classrooms had been built across the country.
The goal was twofold: reduce the distances children had to walk and ease overcrowding in schools. While some areas still experience high pupil-to-teacher ratiosâ€"with some classrooms holding more than 100 studentsâ€"the national average now stands at 56 students per teacher.
A recent household living conditions survey (EICV 7) by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda shows that the average primary school student now walks 19 minutes to school. Urban students average 17 minutes, while rural students take around 20.
Beyond distance, the quality of education has also improved. More teachers have been hired, and digital learning tools introduced. Internet connectivity has reached more schools, and early childhood educationâ€"once reserved for wealthier familiesâ€"has expanded significantly. Since 2021, over 4.3 million children receive a daily school meal, helping keep students in class and focused.
Bringing healthcare closer
Rwanda has also made major strides in healthcare access. In 2009, the government began rolling out basic health posts in every administrative cell. Today, there are 1,294 health posts, 520 health centers, and 57 hospitals across the country.
Gone are the days when patients in critical condition or expectant mothers had to rely on makeshift stretchers. Rwanda now operates a fleet of 510 ambulances that can reach patients within an average of 14 minutes of being called.
The EICV 7 survey indicates that Rwandans now walk an average of 46 minutes to reach a health center.
Dr. Ngirente noted that proximity has made a significant difference. The number of households located within 30 minutes of a health center rose from 22% to 30%.
'What matters is that someone in need can reach basic care quickly and then be referred to a higher-level facility if needed,' he said.
Currently, 75% of Rwandans can access a health post within half an hour. The government plans to further improve outcomes by quadrupling the number of doctors and deploying physicians to health centers to expand advanced care.
Already, 92 upgraded health posts now offer services like maternity care, dental care, and eye health.
Transport and market access
On average, it takes 49 minutes for a Rwandan to walk to the nearest bus stop. Urban dwellers average 21 minutes, while rural residents may walk over an hour.
In Kigali, the average walking time to public transport is 22 minutes. It rises to 54 minutes in the Southern and Northern provinces, and up to 1 hour and 5 minutes in the Western Province.
While gaps remain in public transportâ€"especially regarding schedulingâ€"many of the long queues at bus stops and terminals have eased following the government's procurement of 200 new buses.
Private firms have also introduced electric buses aligning with efforts to reduce carbon emissions and pollution.
Market access has improved as well. Rwandans now walk an average of 48 minutes to reach their local market. In urban areas, that journey takes 27 minutes, while in rural communities, it can take as long as 57 minutes.
IGIHE
