By July 2024, the number of schools in Rwanda had reached 4,986, up from 4,923 the previous year. Of these, 2,077 were government-aided, 1,569 were public, and 1,340 were privately owned.
The distribution of ownership remains relatively stable, with government institutions accounting for 31.5 percent of all schools, the Catholic Church for 28 percent, Protestant denominations for 16.8 percent, parents' associations for 6 percent, the Adventist Church for 1.7 percent, Islamic organisations for 0.6 percent, and private individuals owning 15.1 percent.
The total number of classrooms in use stood at 86,780 in 2023/24, reflecting an increase of 2,045 from the previous year. Yet, despite this expansion, overcrowding continues to pose a challenge. The national pupilâ€"classroom ratio rose from 50 to 52 learners per room, with congestion most severe in the lower grades, 76 pupils per classroom in Primary 1, 66 in Primary 2, and 61 in Primary 3. Only 43 percent of primary schools meet the national standard of 46 pupils per class, compared to 83 percent in lower secondary and 97 percent in upper secondary.
Efforts to improve the learning environment are visible in other ways too. Nearly half of all schools, 49.1 percent, now have dedicated girls' rooms, up by 1.7 percentage points from the previous year. However, sports facilities remain limited, with football and volleyball grounds available in only 41 percent of schools, basketball courts in 15 percent, and gymnasiums in barely 0.1 percent.
Overall, the number of learners enrolled across the education system rose to 4,766,125 in 2023/24, representing a 7 percent increase from 4.46 million in 2022/23. This means that more than a third of Rwanda's population, 35.3 percent, is currently in school.
Early learning has seen the most significant expansion, with combined enrolment in Early Childhood Development and pre-primary centres climbing from 1.13 million to 1.29 million, an increase of 14.4 percent. Within that total, children attending ECD centres rose by 16.6 percent to 692,507, while pre-primary enrolment grew by 11.9 percent to 605,229.
At the primary level, enrolment reached 3,006,709 pupils, up 5.9 percent from the previous year, reaffirming primary education as the foundation of Rwanda's school system. Enrolment in general and professional secondary schools increased modestly by 1.45 percent to 196,384 students, with girls forming the majority.
Technical and Vocational Education and Training programmes also expanded, with enrolment in Levels 1 to 5 rising by 12.8 percent to 116,791 trainees. Despite this growth, gender disparities persist, with women still under-represented in vocational fields.
Higher education continued its upward trajectory, as the number of students in universities and polytechnics increased from 119,716 to 130,474, an 8.99 percent rise in one year.
In contrast, adult literacy centres experienced a decline, with enrolment dropping by 9.1 percent to 99,255 learners, suggesting a gradual shift towards formal education pathways.
Taken together, these figures depict a system that is expanding not just in size but in diversity, advancing Rwanda's vision of inclusive and lifelong learning for all.
Enrolment rates also improved across all levels. The Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) and Net Enrolment Rate (NER) in pre-primary education rose to 59.5 and 44.7 percent respectively, up from 53.1 and 39 percent a year earlier. At the primary level, GER reached 148.2 percent while NER climbed slightly to 95 percent.
Secondary GER increased to 48.6 percent and NER to 29.1 percent, while higher education GER grew from 8.6 to 9 percent. Girls now outnumber boys in both lower and upper secondary levels, though boys still form the majority in primary, TVET, and higher education institutions.
Student progression data reveal both gains and persistent challenges. Only 13.1 percent of pupils who start Primary 1 complete Senior 6 within twelve years, though the share of those finishing primary school on time increased from 37.5 to 42.7 percent.
In primary schools, promotion rates reached 65.1 percent, repetition dropped to 29.7 percent, and dropout fell to 5.2 percent. Secondary schools recorded similar progress, with dropout declining from 7.5 to 4.4 percent, even as repetition rates rose slightly to 13.8 percent.
Transition rates across education levels shifted unevenly: 79 percent of pupils moved from primary to lower secondary, down by 4.7 points, while 83.3 percent advanced from lower to upper secondary, up by 0.9 points. The proportion proceeding from secondary to higher education declined more sharply, from 64.8 to 49.6 percent. Currently, around 23.4 percent of secondary and TVET learners are enrolled in boarding schools.
The teaching workforce also grew, with 123,818 teachers recorded in 2023/24, a 2.6 percent increase from the previous year. Most are qualified by national standards: 99.4 percent of pre-primary, 99.8 percent of primary, 86.6 percent of secondary, and 80.3 percent of TVET teachers meet minimum qualification requirements.
However, formal pedagogical training remains uneven. Only 52.7 percent of pre-primary, 67.6 percent of primary, 78 percent of secondary, and 25.7 percent of TVET teachers have completed professional training.
This imbalance translates into uneven classroom experiences, with one trained teacher for every 106 pupils in pre-primary, 65 in primary, 36 in secondary, and 77 in TVET. Women dominate teaching in the early years, accounting for 83 percent of pre-primary and 56.7 percent of primary teachers, while men remain the majority in secondary (65 percent), TVET (69.4 percent), and higher education (78.8 percent).
Technology use in education continues to accelerate. The yearbook shows that 35.5 percent of schools now use ICT tools in teaching, 21.9 percent have smart classrooms, and 28.2 percent operate computer laboratories. Connectivity is improving, with 61.8 percent of schools connected to the internet and nearly all (97.4 percent) having at least one computer.
The computer-to-student ratio now stands at one for every nine learners, an improvement from one per ten in 2017. Teachers have an average of one computer for every two individuals, while administrative staff enjoy full access. These figures reflect a system increasingly equipped for digital learning, though ruralâ€"urban disparities persist.
Textbook availability has improved, particularly at the primary level, where the average book-to-pupil ratio stands at two to one. Core subjects such as Kinyarwanda, English, and Mathematics have achieved full coverage, with one book per pupil. However, Science and Elementary Technology lag behind at a ratio of four to one.
In lower and upper secondary levels, the average ratio remains at three to one across science, language, and humanities streams. Teacher Training Colleges remain under-supplied, with four students sharing a single book, while pre-primary institutions, where play-based learning dominates, report ratios ranging from one to one to as high as twenty-one to one, reflecting the strain of rapid enrolment growth.
Access to basic utilities in schools has also improved steadily. By 2024, 84.2 percent of schools were connected to the national electricity grid, 18.7 percent used solar energy, 11.9 percent relied on generators, and 1.7 percent operated biogas systems.
Water access expanded as well, with 81.8 percent of schools having tap water, 65.6 percent providing safe drinking water, and 88.7 percent harvesting rainwater. Hygiene facilities are now nearly universal: 93.7 percent of schools have handwashing stations, and 94.8 percent offer separate toilets for girls and boys. However, the recommended ratio of one toilet for every 25 students remains unmet as enrolment continues to rise.
The school-feeding programme has also expanded significantly. The proportion of learners receiving meals at school increased from 92.8 to 96.8 percent, while the share of schools providing meals jumped from 87.4 to 99.3 percent within a single year. Officials attribute this success to improved community engagement and government support, noting that the programme has helped reduce absenteeism and enhance student concentration.
Altogether, these trends point to a rapidly evolving education system that continues to make strides in inclusion, quality, and digital readiness, even as it grapples with enduring challenges such as overcrowding, teacher training gaps, and unequal resource distribution. Rwanda's ongoing investments suggest a strong commitment to ensuring that every learner, from early childhood to higher education, benefits from the promise of lifelong learning.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/rwanda-s-education-in-numbers
