The government needs more than 26,500 new classrooms to reduce overcrowding and phase out double shifts in primary schools for improved learning outcomes, according to the Minister of Education, Joseph Nsengimana.
The minister said this on Tuesday, March 4, while responding to issues identified in a report by Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) which was being examined by members of the parliamentary Committee on Governance Affairs and Gender.
One of the issues highlighted in the report is overcrowding in schools and old classrooms, issues lawmakers want education officials to address.
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Nsengimana said that the ministry carried out an inspection of all schools to know their state, pointing out that there are 86,780 classrooms in public and government-aided schools countrywide.
Among them, he said, there were 13,869 that needed renovation. He said there were 5,830 rooms that must be replaced by new ones as they were too old.
"There are schools that are very old and the rooms there are in use now. They will not last for three more years. So, we conclude that they must be demolished and replaced by new ones," he said.
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But, he said, there are 305 classrooms that must be renovated urgently, and that was already budgeted for.
'Shifts not right approach'
Apart from overcrowding, Nsengimana added, there are double shifts in lower primary level - whereby some children study before noon, while others study afternoon.
"That is not the right approach. In fact, we wish that all children study in one shift, means permitting," he said, adding that two shifts make pupils have limited time for learning, which negatively affects their studies.
The ministry, he said, considered the requirements for reducing overcrowding and eliminating double shifts.
"We realise that for both to be achieved, there is a need for 26,523 new classrooms," he said, indicating that reducing overcrowding in schools alone required 17,627 new classrooms.
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REB Director General Nelson Mbarushimana said that the national school feeding programme resulted in more pupils attending school, which is a good impact, underscoring the need for more classrooms.
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He observed that funds for new classrooms must be mobilised, adding that their construction is expected to begin with the next financial year budget "and it will be at a good pace so that this issue of the inadequate number of classrooms compared to the increased number of pupils."
"When the number of students goes up, it is something we should appreciate. That is why the Ministry of Education is looking for ways to increase the number of classrooms starting with the academic year 2025/2026," he said.
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According to the education sector strategic plan covering 2024/25 - 2028/29, the government targets to phase out double shifts in pre-primary education, and attain a ratio of 46 pupils per classroom in the five years of its implementation, from the current 62 pupils per classroom.
Nsengimana said about 27,500 classrooms were constructed from 217 - under the education sector strategic plan that covered 2017/28 - 2023/24 - and they contributed to addressing overcrowding in schools but also lessened the double shift issue.
"Double shift used to be the case across the entire primary education, but currently, double shift is from primary 1 to primary 3 because of these classrooms that were built," he said.
