Six children under rehabilitation at Gitagata centre in Bugesera District will be discharged and facilitated to continue their secondary school studies after they passed the 2024/2025 Primary Leaving Examinations, The New Times has learnt. ALSO READ: Five children under rehab to reunite with families after passing national exams The National Rehabilitation Service (NRS) said that six out of seven children who had sat for the national exams passed and got a scholarship at a private school based in Kayonza District. The Centre Cyprien and Daphrose Rugamba, a non-profit, has pledged to pay their school fees. ALSO READ: Ex-street boys remain resilient for a brighter future in Rwanda “The National Rehabilitation Service ensures that no child is left behind, with local authorities and partners stepping in to provide necessities when families cannot. With the support from Centre Cyprien and Daphrose Rugamba, these pupils secured funding to continue their studies,” NRS Director General, Fred Mufulukye, told The New Times. ALSO READ: Eight things to know about regulations of rehab centres The children are Elisa Mugabo, who scored 72 per cent — the highest among the group — Janvier Niyonkuru (69.2%), Felix Tuyisenge (61%), Faustin Ihorinyibuka (60.6%), Elie Ngirinshuti (51.8%), and Vital Dusingizimana (51%). Our teachers provided thorough exam preparation, ensuring we faced no academic barriers, said 15-year-old Mugabo. This success comes from loving learning and putting in consistent effort. He said his dream is to become an entrepreneur after university. The Gitagata Rehabilitation Centre was established in 1975 to rehabilitate young boys. It expanded in 2017 to include girls. The centre hosts 762 beneficiaries, including 403 boys. With eight psychologists and a partnership with Ecole Primaire Gitagata, which enrolls 1,100 students, the center provides academic and emotional support to the beneficiaries. Hassan Bahame, the coordinator of the Gitagata centre, explained that many children arrive with challenges like drug abuse, delinquency or trauma from family conflicts. “The center’s approach, combining education with psychological care, helps them overcome these hurdles,” explained Bahame. Patrick Nimubona, Director of Centre Cyprien and Daphrose Rugamba which partners with NRS, emphasized the organization’s commitment to the children's education. He said they would cover school fees for all six successful candidates in the first year to ensure they can transition to secondary education. “We believe that with the right support, former street children can grow to become the pride of Rwandan society,” Nimubona said. Nimubona added that after one year, the NGO would review their partnership with NRS to see how to support the children's education going forward. The 2024/2025 PLE results saw 166,334 out of 219,926 candidates pass nationwide. National trends also show girls outperforming boys in primary exams, though boys lead in O-level results.
