Following a surge in daily Covid-19 cases and the emergence of new variants, Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente on Tuesday hosted a news conference where he announced new Covid-19 restrictions.

The restrictions which went into effect on Thursday, July 1, include the closure of all schools; primary secondary and higher institutions in the City of Kigali and some eight districts across the country.

However, through their Twitter page, the Ministry of Education shed more light on the issue of students who will sit for National Examinations.

Candidates who will sit for National Examinations and are in boarding schools will stay at their respective schools while those studying as day scholars will stay at home and prepare for their national exams.

According to the calendar earlier released, Primary Leaving Examinations will start on July 12 and end on July 14 while O-Level candidates will begin their exams on July 20 and end on July 27.

Then A-Level and TVET theoretical examinations will start on July 20 and end on July 27, and finally A-Level science practical examinations will start on July 28 and end on July 30.

TVET practical exams started on June 14 and will end on July 3.

In addition, the ministry announced that teachers will remain at their respective workstations to finalize other school activities including marking exams, preparation of learners’ reports.

Meanwhile for students in higher learning institutions whose schools fall within the Kigali and the affected districts, those who reside on campus (hostels) will remain at their respective campuses and continue to study remotely, while students in off-campus residents will stay at home and continue to study remotely.

For high school students from non-candidate classes, they started their phased return home on Thursday, July 1 and will go on until Sunday.

The first batch that left on Thursday were students from the City of Kigali, and the districts of Huye, Gisagara, Nyaruguru, Nyamagabe, Nyamasheke, Rusizi, Karongi, Rutsiro and Bugesera.

The second batch will leave on Friday, July 2 from Nyanza, Rubavu, Nyabihu, Rwamagana, Kayonza, Gicumbi, and Rulindo, followed by the third group of students from Nyagatare, Gatsibo, Kirehe, Ngoma, Ruhango, Musanze and Musanze to go home on Saturday, July 3.

The final students to leave their respective schools on Sunday, July 4 will be from Muhanga, Kamonyi, Burera and Ngororero.

The Ministry of Education urged students, parents, teachers, and school administrators to respect all the new Covid rules and make sure they respect the schedule for students to reach safely at their homes and fully dressed in school uniforms.