Schools whose students ranked among the top in the Advanced Level national examinations have expressed their satisfaction with the performance. In interviews with The New Times school administrators said the students' success was driven by quality teaching, strong parental support, remedial programmes, and student dedication, and vowed to build on the achievements to maintain excellence. The results were released on Monday, September 1, by the Ministry of Education, highlighting improved performance in the exams. The national pass rate rose to 89.1 per cent, up from 78.6 per cent last year. ALSO READ: Pass rate for A-Level national exams up by 10% EAV Ntendezi in Nyamasheke District produced the country’s top performer in Accounting, with Fraterine Nisingizwe scoring 94.57 per cent. Leonce Ndashimye, the head of the school, said this is not the first time EAV Ntendezi has produced top performers. “We have had top performers about five times, though not consecutively. Three years ago, one of our students was top in Veterinary. This time it is Accounting.” The school, which teaches Veterinary, Accounting, and Agriculture, is still reviewing the full results of its students. ALSO READ: Kayonza schools lead in A-Level national exams “We hope none of our candidates failed, as it rarely happens,” Ndashimye added. He said the school plans to meet with teachers to identify key factors behind the success and build on them to produce even more top performers next year. At Collège du Christ-Roi in Nyanza District, Abayo Jennifer Mugisha ranked first in the country in languages with 93.49 per cent. Headmaster Innocent Hakizimana attributed the achievement to consistency and quality teaching. “The secret behind the success is the good quality of our teachers. Sometimes we worry they might be recruited by other schools, but we manage to retain them,” he said. Hakizimana added that new students are encouraged to build on the school’s legacy. “Languages are our strength. Even last year, one of our students was the top performer in this field. Our aim now is to sharpen other disciplines too, so that we remain competitive at the highest level.” ALSO READ: Here are top performers in A-Level national exams At Collège Adventiste Gitwe in Ruhango District, two students ranked among the top nationwide: Answer Happiness Hirwa (fifth, with 91.85 per cent) and Jean Pierre Habimana (seventh, with 91.57 per cent). The school principal, Gilbert Nshimiyimana, said that learning materials such as mannequins played a vital role in training students in maternal care, paediatrics, and geriatrics. “Our teachers, many of whom are healthcare professionals, made a big difference. Parents also supported us by contributing during holidays when students stayed at school for extra learning. The students themselves sacrificed part of the holiday season, which paid off,” he said. The school, which offers four trades, Math and Science, Arts and Humanities, and Associated Nursing Programme, has seen steady improvement. “Last year, we struggled in the Maths, Chemistry and Biology combination due to a new grading system. That poor performance pushed us to work harder,” he noted. He said that no student in the school has a score below 65 per cent, while in Nursing, none scored under 70 per cent. At the Ordinary Level, the school ranked 44th out of 1,860 schools, with the top student scoring 96 per cent. At Kisaro TSS in Rulindo District, Delice Irakoze topped the Manufacturing and Mining trade nationwide with 93.07 per cent. School manager Evariste Simparingoma said it marked a historic achievement. “This was only our second graduation. We had no top performer last time, but now one of our students has led the trade,” he said. Out of the top 10 performers in Manufacturing and Mining, six were from Kisaro TSS. The school, which teaches Agriculture, Animal Health, and Mining Technology, had 243 candidates this year. Simparingoma said that reducing the number of candidates in future will help improve monitoring and performance. “We regularly met with teachers and shared students’ test results with parents, who came to advise their children. This motivated the learners. We will continue encouraging teachers and students as we move towards becoming a school of excellence,” he said.
