The Ministry of Education has given teachers a five-year grace period to upgrade their qualifications, with all teachers expected to have at least an A1 qualification at the end of the transition period.

The announcement was made on Thursday, August 20, by State Minister for Education Claudette Irere during the release of the results of the 2025/26 national examinations.

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Irere said the five-year grace period will give teachers enough time to upgrade their qualifications, with some receiving government support to pursue further studies, depending on available resources.

The transition is part of a wider 10-year plan to progressively raise the academic qualifications of primary school teachers to university level.

According to officials, the plan will be implemented in two phases, starting with upgrading teachers with A2 qualifications to A1 before moving A1-qualified teachers to A0, or bachelor’s degree level.

Under the new system, students joining Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) will spend five years in training, up from the current three years.

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The current three-year TTC programme was leading to a secondary school-level qualification, while the additional two years under the new five-year programme will enable graduates to qualify at A1 level.

Irere said the requirement will apply both to new teachers entering the profession and those already in service

"We have put in place a five-year period to give teachers an opportunity to upgrade their qualifications. The government will support some of them, within the limits of available resources, including by providing opportunities for further study, but it should be understood that our current capacity is limited,” she said.

She added that some teachers have already continued their education without waiting for government support, which she said demonstrated that teachers can also take responsibility for upgrading their qualifications.

Those who are not supported by the government will be expected to use the same period to pursue the required qualification independently, she said.

The longer TTC training period is intended to give future primary school teachers stronger professional and practical preparation before entering classrooms, according to officials.

The reforms are also expected to bring the qualifications of primary school teachers closer to regional and international standards, where university-level training is increasingly required for entry into the teaching profession.

According to the Ministry of Education, the current programme provides limited time for some essential areas of teacher preparation, including teaching methodologies, classroom management, child development and practical teaching.

Teachers' reactions

Antoine Butera, who teaches at Kigali Parents School, welcomed the reform, saying it could improve teachers’ skills and, in turn, the quality of education.

Butera, who has worked in education since 1990, said government support is necessary to help as many teachers as possible to obtain the qualifications.

"Whenever there is a reform, it is generally intended to bring positive change. The challenge, however, is that not all teachers may receive government support. What is important is for teachers to understand that the reform is aimed at advancing the teaching profession and improving education,” Butera said.

"We should then work together to address the challenges that may arise, with the government providing support where necessary while teachers also make efforts to overcome the challenges they face.”

Joseph Mushyikirano, the headteacher of Groupe Scolaire de Mayange A, also welcomed the reform, describing it as an important opportunity to strengthen teachers’ knowledge and improve the quality of education.

He said schools have traditionally had programmes aimed at strengthening teachers’ skills and professionalism, but these did not necessarily lead to formal qualifications.

"Teachers have welcomed the programme because we see it as a major opportunity in education. It will give them more opportunities and knowledge to improve the quality of education. The government’s goal is that every child should develop their potential and become capable, and that can only be achieved when teachers are also well qualified,” Mushyikirano said.

He said providing teachers with formal qualifications would complement existing efforts to strengthen their skills and professionalism, while urging authorities to ensure that teachers can continue studying without disrupting their day-to-day teaching responsibilities.

"Teachers should be given opportunities to continue their studies in a way that does not interfere with their daily work, so that they can balance both. This will give them more advanced knowledge, a stronger professional foundation and greater confidence, ultimately improving their teaching,” he said.

Mushyikirano also linked the reform to teacher motivation, arguing that higher qualifications should be accompanied by better remuneration.

He said this would be particularly important as more schools transition from the nine-year basic education model to 12-year basic education, creating differences in qualification levels among teachers working within the same school.

"Teacher motivation is also part of this. As many schools move from nine-year to 12-year basic education, primary school teachers can find themselves working alongside colleagues who have higher qualifications, despite doing similar work and facing similar challenges. So, the qualification upgrade should also contribute to better motivation, particularly if it is accompanied by corresponding salary increases,” he said.