Celebrating Success: Rwanda’s 2024/25 National Examination Results Reveal Rising Secondary and Primary Performance

In August 2025, Rwanda’s Ministry of Education, through NESA (National Examinations and School Inspection Authority), released the highly anticipated results for the 2024/25 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) and Ordinary Level (O‑Level) national examinations. This annual moment brings students, parents, and teachers together in a shared moment of pride, reflection, and hope for Rwanda’s future.

In this blog post, we’ll explore how Rwandan learners performed, celebrate standout achievers, and offer practical insights for teachers, parents, and policymakers. I’ll also show how these results can guide teaching and learning improvements at both school and community levels.

 For a broader context on reforms shaping this progress, read our related article: New Education Reforms in Primary and Secondary Schools in Rwanda.

Exam Performance Highlights

Overall Pass Rates

PLE (Primary Leaving Examinations) Out of 219,926 candidates, 166,334 passed, giving a pass rate of 75.64%. Girls slightly outperformed boys, accounting for 53.2% of the successful candidates compared to 46.8% for boys. O‑Level (Ordinary Level) with about 148,700 to 149,200 candidates, the pass rate was 64.35%. These figures indicate encouraging progress in national academic outcomes, echoing priorities of Rwanda’s Vision 2050 to enhance education quality.

Patterns by School Type

Private schools led the performance charts with an average pass rate of approximately 77%.
Government schools scored around 65%. Government-aided schools trailed slightly at 63%.

Such variations offer insights into areas where targeted support especially in public schools could narrow the gap and ensure more equitable nationwide outcomes.

Inspiring Top Achievers

Who Shone?

• PLE top performer: Leon Victoire Arakaza from Wisdom School (Musanze) scored a remarkable 99.4%.
• O‑Level top performer: Izere Enock Tresor from EFOTEC scored 98.7%.

These students were honoured with computers, certificates, and school supplies, recognizing their hard work and dedication.

Voices of Excellence

Flora Elyse Ineza, a top O‑Level female student from Hope Haven Christian Secondary School, shared her drive: “My goal is to keep studying hard, avoid distractions…and continue using the strategies…especially prayer and commitment.”allAfrica.com

Ishimwe Keza Gerardine, a primary-level achiever from Bugesera District, attributed her success to discipline and determination.rwandainspirer.com

These personal reflections humanize the stats, they remind us that success is built through support, focus, and daily effort.

Insights and Learning Lessons

Subject Performance Variances

• Maths (PLE): ~27% pass rate
• Physics (O‑Level): ~27.55% pass rate
• Kinyarwanda: ~98%
• English: ~72%
• Science & Technology: ~71%
• General Knowledge & Religious Studies: ~75%

The gaps show clear opportunities for strengthening STEM teaching and learning especially in rural and underserved areas.

Reducing Low Scores, Raising Quality

• Students with very low marks (0–10%) dropped from 126 last year to just 36 this year.
• The number of learners in the “main pass grade band” nearly doubled a strong sign of improved learning outcomes.

What This Means for Rwandan Educators & Stakeholders

For Teachers

• Championing peer-group study sessions and meaningful competitions, as seen at Ecole Internationale la Racine, can drive student motivation and achievement.
• Focus on improving practical and interactive teaching in Maths and Sciences maybe through engaging experiments or visual tools.

For Parents & Students

• Encourage consistent study habits, focused support, and emotional encouragement as Flora and Ishimwe experienced.
• Utilize school resources and engage with teachers early on, especially for challenging subjects.

For Policy Makers & Government

• Expand remedial programs for schools that underperform especially government and government-aided schools to narrow inequality.
• Invest strategically in STEM professional development and infrastructure.

Internal & External Resources

• Access your child’s or student’s results easily via the National Exam Result Portal: This would link to something like https://secondary.sdms.gov.rw/.
• For support or to report issues, contact the NESA Help Desk: Toll‑Free 9070, or email info@nesa.gov.rw.National Examination Results System
• For context on global progress, see Rwanda’s Success in UNESCO Education Programs.
• For context on specific school achievements, check local profiles of schools like Hope Haven, Wisdom School, and Ecole Internationale la Racine through allAfrica.com

Conclusion

The 2024/25 national examination results are more than statistics, they offer a hopeful story of progress, resilience, and promise for Rwanda’s future. With 75.64% passing the PLE and 64.35% passing the O-Level, we see rising performance and signs that investment in education is paying off.

But the journey continues. Addressing subject gaps, supporting struggling schools, and building on the success strategies of high-performing institutions will uplift the entire system. Teachers, parents, policymakers, and communities like yours play a powerful role together, we can reach the goals of Vision 2050.