Results from Rwanda’s 2025/26 national examinations show a significant improvement in overall performance, with Kayonza and Kirehe districts emerging among the strongest performers in both primary and lower secondary education. In primary schools, a total of 277,593 candidates were assessed, with the national pass rate rising to 88.21%, up from 75.6% in 2024/25. Boys recorded a pass rate of 89.59%, compared with 87.1% for girls. Kayonza and Kirehe topped the district rankings at 99.88% each, followed by Ngoma at 95.27% and Musanze at 93.90%. At the lower end, Gasabo recorded 82.23%, Gisagara 8

Results from Rwanda’s 2025/26 national examinations show a significant improvement in overall performance, with Kayonza and Kirehe districts emerging among the strongest performers in both primary and lower secondary education.

In primary schools, a total of 277,593 candidates were assessed, with the national pass rate rising to 88.21%, up from 75.6% in 2024/25. Boys recorded a pass rate of 89.59%, compared with 87.1% for girls. Kayonza and Kirehe topped the district rankings at 99.88% each, followed by Ngoma at 95.27% and Musanze at 93.90%. At the lower end, Gasabo recorded 82.23%, Gisagara 81.78%, and Nyamagabe 81.45%.

Performance also improved significantly in lower secondary education, where 149,533 students sat the national examinations. The overall pass rate reached 85.70%, compared with 64% the previous year. Boys recorded an 89.8% pass rate, while girls stood at 82.63%. Kayonza again led with 88%, followed by Kirehe at 86%, while Rusizi and Rutsiro both recorded 85%. Nyabihu recorded 78%, Nyamagabe and Burera 77%, while Gakenke and Nyarugenge were at 75%.

At individual level, Rwego Mutijima Bruno Licky of Ecole Internationale La Racine in Bugesera District emerged as the top-performing primary student with 99.6%. In lower secondary, Uwamariya Leontine of ISF Nyamasheke and Musonga Isimbi Orah of FAWE Girls School shared the top position with 98.7% each.

The National Examination and School Inspection Authority (NESA) said the results demonstrate a notable improvement in students’ performance compared with the previous academic year. One of the clearest indicators was the decline in the number of primary students scoring between 30% and 40%, which fell from more than 10,000 in 2025 to around 4,000 this year, pointing to broader improvement in learning outcomes across the country.

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