Rwanda: Over 7,000 to Retake National Exams After Mass Cheating

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30 August 2026
The New Times (Kigali)
By Jean d'Amour Mbonyinshuti

A total of 7,188 primary school learners will retake the 2025/26 Primary Leaving Examinations after investigations confirmed mass cheating.

The Ministry of Education announced the decision on Sunday, August 30, saying the investigations found that cheating took place in 254 examination rooms across the country.

"Some of the malpractice was organised and facilitated by adults entrusted with administering the examinations," it said in a statement.

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The affected learners had initially faced the possibility of having their examinations cancelled, which is the normal consequence of examination malpractice.

However, the Ministry said the circumstances of the case warranted giving the learners another opportunity to sit the examinations.

"In the interest of fairness and the future of the affected learners, the Ministry has therefore decided to allow them to retake the Primary Leaving Examinations," the Ministry said.

The examinations will be administered from September 2 to 4, 2026.

The National Examination and School Inspection Authority (NESA) is expected to release the exams timetable, designated examination centres and further guidance on Monday.

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The Minister of Education, Joseph Nsengimana, had said on Friday that the 7,000 was the highest number of cases of malpractices ever reported in national exams.

The examination results of the candidates suspected of cheating had been withheld as investigators were looking into the matter.

The Ministry said it will work closely with NESA, learners, parents, schools and local authorities to ensure the retake process is conducted with minimal disruption.

The Ministry further said individuals found to have organised, facilitated, participated in or deliberately enabled the malpractice would be held accountable.

The affected students are part of 286,579 students who sat Primary Leaving Examinations from 3,895 schools.

NESA reported that 82.2 per cent of candidates passed the examinations.

Read the original article on New Times.

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