At least 890 school leaders have been dismissed from their leadership positions following a comprehensive performance assessment, according to the Ministry of Education.
The evaluation covered 5,277 school leaders in primary and secondary schools across the country over a period of about 12 months. They included 1,415 primary school head teachers, 1,664 secondary school head teachers, 773 deputy head teachers in charge of discipline, 1,425 deputy head teachers in charge of studies.
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Speaking to The New Times, Jean Claude Hashakineza, Director General of Communication at the Ministry of Education, explained that the 890 leaders failed to meet the required performance threshold score of 70 per cent during the assessment.
The evaluation components included effective school leadership, average school performance in national examinations over at least three years, English language proficiency, district-level evaluation, and inspection ratings from the National Examination and School Inspection Authority (NESA).
He clarified that they were not dismissed from the schools.
"Those who did not meet expectations were reassigned to teaching positions in accordance with the Teachers' Statute. Of these, 349 were primary school head teachers, while 541 were secondary school leaders," Hashakineza said.
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Rationale behind the move
Hashakineza emphasised that school leadership plays a critical role in learners' academic performance and overall education quality.
"Schools with effective leadership consistently perform better. Having responsible and accountable school leaders is a key priority for the Ministry," he said. "This decision aligns with ongoing reforms aimed at improving education quality and ensuring that learners in Rwanda receive high-quality education."
Addressing concerns about potential disruptions resulting from the dismissals announced in the middle of the academic year, Hashakineza said 500 school leaders are available and will be deployed to schools where leadership gaps exist.
Recruitment for the remaining positions will take place in January, with the Ministry expecting all schools to have appointed leaders by March, he added.
On concerns about school leaders who had loans from Umwalimu SACCO, Hashakineza said they would continue to pay back the loans as they will get teaching jobs.
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"They are reassigned to teachers' positions and will continue to earn a salary and should therefore be able to repay their loans without disruption," he said.
Why now?
Hashakineza explained that the performance evaluation began in November 2024, and school leaders were fully informed about the process and its potential outcomes, as stipulated in the Teachers' Statute.
"This should not come as a surprise," he said.
Going forward, the evaluation will be conducted every three years, with the aim of improving education quality and ensuring that leaders are assigned roles aligned with their competencies.
"Reassigning school leaders to teaching positions is not a punishment, but a form of support. As trained and qualified teachers, they may perform more effectively in the classroom than in leadership roles," he added.
He noted that the approach serves the best interests of learners and contributes to improved education outcomes nationwide.
