The first batch of primary and secondary school boarding children will return to school on Friday, 03rd January ahead of the new academic year, which officially kicks off on Jan. 6, 2020, the Ministry of Education has confirmed.

Among the schools that will reopen on Friday include those in the districts of Kamonyi, Muhanga, Nyanza, Huye, Rusizi, Nyamasheke and the ones in the three districts that make up Kigali.

The 2020 academic year, which commences on Monday, will run through early November.

However, students joining senior one and senior four were given a week-long extension to their holidays following the release of their national exam results early this week. They will begin on January 13, to allow them time to prepare for the new term.

The children in schools based in the eastern province are slated to return on Jan. 4 while those in schools from Ruhango, Gisagara, Nyaruguru, Nyamagabe, Karongi, Rutsiro, Ngororero, Rubavu and Nyabihu are required to return on Sunday, January 5.

The commencement of school term comes just a few days after the festive season, which is most of the times characterized by financial constraints due to the high expenses involved.

However, some parents who spoke to The New Times said they planned ahead for the beginning of term expenses.

Annie Justine Uwamahoro, parent of five students (three in secondary and two in primary) is one of them.

She said: "Good enough we were informed long before the festive season and it helped us to spend responsibly,

"We did our role as parents and we’ll continue to do so.”

Transport operators cautioned

Earlier this week, the Commissioner of Police for Traffic and Road Safety Department, Commissioner of Police (CP) Rafiki Mujiji, assured that traffic police were prepared for the upcoming academic year.

He told The New Times that during the school commencement periods, public transporters are overwhelmed by the number of passengers, prompting drivers to over speed in order to make more trips and more money.

"What we want is the drivers to drive responsibly, without rushing. We also tell them not to overload the cars because it leads to accidents,” he said.

However, he urged students to be on time and put on their school uniforms. 

The essence of keeping time

Transport operators have also urged both parents and students to keep time so as to facilitate good service delivery.

"Recently we held a meeting with Rwanda Utility and Regulatory Authority (RURA) and planned on how to ensure good service delivery to students specifically, therefore I can say that for us we are ready,” said Jean-Paul Karangwa, Director of Virunga Express.

Karangwa added that: "The challenge we face that even most of the times lead to congestion especially in periods like these is late coming of students.”

"We come early in the morning and find no students, and when the deadline of taking them is about to reach, that’s when students start coming- hence causing jams in bus parks.”

According to Karangwa, bus operators arrive in bus parks by 5:00 a.m and were told to stop transporting school children by 3 p.m.

Andrew Japhet Agaba, Operations Manager in Volcano Express, also noted that parents should help students to keep time.

He said: "We request parents to accompany their students on time and make sure they get the proper timely tickets, this helps them and us as well because finish taking them early and be able to provide service to others who are not students.”