Minister of Education, Joseph Nsengiyumva, has raised concern over the continued poor performance in mathematics and physics, particularly at the Ordinary Level (O-Level), as the government released the 2024/2025 national examination results, on Tuesday, August 19.
“This year’s results show us once again that maths and physics remain a serious challenge for our learners,” Minister Nsengiyumva said during the official announcement in Kigali.
The minister said that at both primary and O-Level, the outcomes in those subjects were below expectations, noting that mathematics at O-Level was especially weak. He added that teachers, parents, and policymakers must all work together to ensure students gain stronger foundations in sciences.
A total of 202,021 pupils took the Primary Leaving Examinations, including 111,249 girls and 90,772 boys, while 143,227 students sat for the O-Level exams, of whom 79,933 were girls and 63,294 were boys.
The exams were designed to assess learners under the Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC) and guide placements into secondary schools.
Despite the challenges in science subjects, this year’s exams also showcased notable achievements. At the primary level, Leo Victor Arakaza from Wisdom School in Musanze District emerged the top performer with 99.4%. At O-Level, the highest score was registered by Izere Hennock Tresor of E.S. Kanombe in Kicukiro District, who scored 98.67%.
Minister Nsengiyumva emphasized that addressing weaknesses in maths and physics is a national priority.
“Rwanda’s future depends on how well we prepare our young people in science and technology,” he noted. “Improving results in these subjects is not only about passing exams, but about ensuring our children can compete in a knowledge-driven economy.”
The Ministry has pledged continued investment in teacher training, classroom resources, and science-friendly learning environments to close the gap and improve performance in coming years.
Pichou Byiringiro / The Kaminuza Star