More than 1.1 million Rwandans applied for government jobs in the 2024/2025 fiscal year, but only about 3,100 were recruited, prompting Members of Parliament to call for improvements in the efficiency and organisation of the public service recruitment processes. The figures were presented to Parliament on April 29 by the Chairperson of the Social Affairs Committee, Veneranda Uwamariya, during consideration of the National Public Service Commission annual report. ALSO READ: Inside Rwanda's changing labour market Uwamariya said the recruitment process continues to experience gaps at different stages, from application to final job placement. “Positions were advertised for 1,387 posts requiring 3,963 workers,” she said. “Out of 1,111,040 applicants, 673,416 met the requirements. Only 106,360 sat the competitive examinations. Of those, 8,783 passed, and 3,134 were finally placed.” ALSO READ: What’s shaping Rwanda’s labour trends? What explains the gap between applicants and available jobs A major drop-off was recorded at the examination stage, where only a fraction of qualified applicants actually sat for tests. The Ministry of Public Service and Labour (MIFOTRA) told MPs that several factors explain the low participation, including overlapping examination schedules, applicants who already got jobs elsewhere, and cases of individuals applying without clear intention to compete for available posts. The ministry also pointed to logistical challenges, including the distance to examination centres, particularly for candidates in rural areas. ALSO READ: Do workers in Rwanda know their rights? Some applicants, according to MIFOTRA, also apply to multiple positions at once, making it difficult for them to attend all scheduled examinations. Calls for improved access and planning MP Venuste Icyitegetse raised concern over both access to examinations and the quality of the recruitment process. “There is a gap in cases where candidates are later found not to meet requirements after applying and sitting exams,” he said. “There are also issues of unclear questions and communication gaps. Not all candidates are informed in time. There is a need for improvement.” He called for decentralisation of examination centres, suggesting the use of existing infrastructure at a local level, such as school computer labs to ease access for candidates in rural areas. Cost implications of low turnout The National Public Service Commission noted that the low turnout at examinations also leads to inefficiencies in resource use. Examinations are prepared based on expected numbers of candidates and this is reflected in the number of computers, venues, and invigilators. When turnout is low, unused capacity translates into public expenditure. The Commission recommended better pre-registration systems to improve planning and align resources with actual participation. Gaps in the recruitment chain Beyond participation challenges, Parliament was also informed about irregularities in the final stages of recruitment. Out of 309 competition reports reviewed, 28 contained errors. In addition, 130 candidates who had passed examinations were later found not to meet requirements at the placement stage, indicating weaknesses in early screening and verification. Several institutions were also required to re-administer examinations following procedural irregularities, resulting in additional costs. For example, the University Teaching Hospital of Butare (CHUB) incurred losses of Rwf1.57 million from one such re-sit.. In some cases, institutions indicated plans to recover losses from those responsible. Rwanda Forestry Authority avoided additional costs by suspending a contractor whose actions triggered a re-sit and reallocating funds to cover re-administration. Reforms under consideration MP Uwamariya said the recurring errors highlight the need for stronger coordination and accountability across institutions involved in recruitment. “Organs should avoid errors that lead to re-sitting of examinations, as this affects both institutions and candidates. Where this occurs, those responsible should be held accountable, she said. MIFOTRA also told Parliament it was reviewing whether the current 30-day legal timeframe for completing recruitment processes was still realistic, given the high volume of applications. The National Public Service Commission said it was exploring measures to improve efficiency, including better scheduling, improved communication with candidates, and expanded use of decentralised examination centres.
