A total of 199,292 candidates in ordinary and advanced levels of secondary school, Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs), as well as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centres started national examinations on Tuesday. The exams, which will run through early August, were launched at GS Shyorongi in Rulindo District. Gaspard Twagirayezu, the State Minister in charge of Primary and Secondary Education, who flagged off the exercise, said the exams were derived from what the students studied, adding teachers were involved in setting them. He said preparations for the national exams went according to plan, noting that it marked an improvement from the last two years which were characterised by Covid-19 disruptions. Twagirayezu said that, in the spirit of ensuring inclusive education, preparations were also adequately made for students with disabilities who will write braille papers. The minister warned against exam malpractice, saying it was punishable by law. Medius Ingabire, the supervisor at GS Shyorongi examination centre, said the site has 216 candidates (157 girls and 59 boys) from three schools, namely; GS Shyorongi, GS Gisiz, and Ecole Secondaire Stella Matutina. She said they had prepared the candidates for the exams. A-Level candidates at GS Shyorongi at the start of national examinations earlier Tuesday. / Courtesy According to National Examinations and Schools Inspection Authority (NESA), 127,469 candidates (70,643 girls and 56,826 boys) are expected to write O-Level exams, while 47,579 students (25,643 girls and 21,643 boys) registered for A-Level papers. In TVET, 21,338 candidates (9,850 girls and 11,488 boys) registered, while 2,906 are expected to sit TTC papers. There are 618 O-Level examination centres nationwide, 433 for A-Level, 109 for TVET, and 16 for TTC candidates. Commenting on the just-concluded Primary Leaving Examinations, Minister Twagirayezu said that up to 99 per cent of registered candidates turned up. PLE concluded on July 20 and a total of 229,859 candidates were expected to write the papers across 1,095 examination centres nationwide.
