As students gear up for the national examinations for primary, O-Level and A-Level for the 2024–2025 school year, scheduled between June and July, teachers and experts have offered key advice to help learners study effectively and manage exam stress ALSO READ: Five key highlights from the 2023/24 S6 national exam results Christine Umutesi, the headteacher of Gifumba Primary School in Muhanga District, has urged teachers to offer comprehensive support to pupils by guiding them through unit-by-unit revision. She noted the need for parents to ease the domestic workload on children, particularly in rural areas, so they have sufficient time to study and arrive at school on time. “Teachers must follow up on this, especially in communities where learners are often delayed or fatigued by house chores,” she said. ALSO READ: Over 60,000 candidates sit for national practical exams Umutesi encouraged the use of updated educational platforms such as the Rwanda Education Board (REB) e‑Learning Platform (elearning.reb.rw), which provides unit-based assessments and revision exercises aligned with the national curriculum. She also noted the importance of schools strengthening collaboration with neighbouring primary institutions to exchange learning materials. Enos Tumwikirize, a teacher at Kigali Parents’ School, advised learners to use discussions as a way to open up and support one another in preparation for exams. He noted that a lack of preparation often leads to panic, which can negatively affect performance. “Learners should have a self-study revision timetable that allows them to allocate adequate time to each subject, giving extra attention to more challenging topics. They should also make summaries of the material they have revised,” he added. Tumwikirize added that students should consult their teachers on concepts they may not have fully understood in class. According to Barbara Kantengwa, a teacher at First Impressions International School in Gasabo District, breaking down topics into manageable parts helps learners avoid feeling overwhelmed and enables more focused revision. She advises that learners use active study techniques, such as summarising notes in simple language and joining peer discussions where they explain concepts to one another, an approach that helps them better understand and remember information. Kantengwa also encourages students to practice with past exam papers, to familiarise them with the format and help them identify commonly set questions. “They should look for what gets asked regularly and target those areas,” she said. She added that group study is effective when learners quiz each other or debate key points, helping to develop critical thinking and improve memory, which are both essential for retaining knowledge over time. “Exams carry high stakes for students and naturally come with pressure. Even the smallest test can trigger anxiety, and for many students, that anxiety becomes overwhelming. A little bit of anxiety is good as it motivates students, pushes them to wake up early and revise their notes. That kind of pressure can be healthy when it helps them stay focused,” said Divine Rusagara, a clinical psychotherapist at mHub, a mental health organisation in Kicukiro. Rusagara said the first thing students should consider ahead of exams is building a daily routine that supports both productivity and mental health. She added that students should create a routine that promotes productivity and safeguards their mental well-being by being intentional about rest, study time, and self-discipline. “Without a clear plan, time is easily wasted, especially with so many distractions available.” The psychotherapist highlighted the need for adequate sleep, noting that experts recommend between seven and eight hours. While some students may only manage six or seven, what matters most is being intentional about rest. If they manage their time well and avoid distractions, they won’t have to sacrifice sleep. Physical activity, she said, is also good mental preparation for exams, especially cardio exercises that increase heart rate. “Neurologists agree that when you engage in cardio, your brain creates new cells, and that improves memory, learning, and analytical thinking. It also supports emotional regulation.” She added: “Consistency matters more than intensity when it comes to exercise. It needs to be part of a routine. Doing it once won’t make any noticeable difference. But regular physical activity helps prepare the brain to handle stress and absorb new information.” Rusagara stated that students must eat well and drink enough water daily for optimal brain health. She added that confidence helps learners manage anxiety and stay focused. “Students need to go into exams with a positive mindset. Start by believing that you are going to succeed. When you visualise yourself passing, your brain creates an internal environment that supports achievement. If you convince yourself that you are going to fail, your anxiety will increase, and it becomes hard to focus,” she said. Rusagara explained that excessive anxiety can lead students to avoid their responsibilities by engaging in distractions. “When anxiety becomes too much, the brain tries to avoid the stress by distracting itself. That’s when we see procrastination, often in the form of endless scrolling on social media, gaming, or other compulsive behaviours. Avoidance then becomes a cycle that feeds anxiety,” she said. The psychotherapist stated that once a student avoids studying and later realises they’ve wasted time, their anxiety increases. Then they go back to the same behaviours to escape that feeling, it becomes a cycle. The more you avoid, the more you fear, and the harder it is to face the task ahead. Rusagara urged students to be intentional in managing their thoughts and mental state. “Envision your success, and stick to that mental image. That mindset, combined with a healthy routine, can help students stay focused and prepare well. Research shows anxiety among young people is higher now than before. That level of anxiety is pushing them into digital addiction and other destructive behaviours, all in an attempt to numb the discomfort they feel about forthcoming responsibilities like exams.”
