Retakes of the 2025/26 Primary Leaving Examinations began countrywide on Wednesday, September 2, with 7,188 learners sitting for the examinations after investigations confirmed widespread examination malpractice. The Ministry of Education announced the decision on August 30 after investigations found that cheating had occurred in 254 examination rooms across the country. The retake examinations are being conducted from September 2 to 4, with morning sessions starting at 9:00 a.m. and afternoon sessions at 1:30 p.m. On Wednesday, learners sat for Mathematics in the morning and Ikinyarwanda in the afternoon. On Thursday, September 3, they are scheduled to sit for English in the morning and Social Studies and Religious Education in the afternoon. The final examinations, Science and Elementary Technology, will be held on Friday, September 4, in the morning. ALSO READ: Over 7,000 to retake national exams after mass cheating According to Jean Claude Hashakineza, the Director General of Education Communications at the Ministry of Education, the same timetable was communicated to all affected schools and examination centres. He pointed out that a total of 60 examination centres have been designated across the affected areas. Learners were assigned to centres closest to their homes. Kirehe District accounts for the largest share of affected learners, with more than 4,000 of the 7,188 candidates sitting the retake examinations coming from the district. Hashakineza said arrangements were made with the learners’ welfare in mind, particularly because they return home after each examination day and report back the following morning. “Most learners are sitting the examinations at their original centres. Only 10 were reassigned to nearby centres for operational efficiency,” he said. He added that keeping learners close to home helps reduce travel time and disruption to their families. Measures to prevent future malpractice On measures being taken to prevent a repeat of the incident, Hashakineza said authorities were holding accountable everyone found to have participated in the malpractice. “We are holding accountable anyone who is found to have participated in the malpractice, in accordance with the law and applicable administrative procedures,” he said. He added that supervision, reporting and accountability mechanisms at examination centres are also being strengthened. “The ongoing investigation will help us identify any weaknesses that allowed the malpractice to occur and address them before future national examinations,” Hashakineza said. Results expected September 11 Education Minister Joseph Nsengimana recently said the retake examinations are expected to be marked immediately after they are completed, with results expected by September 11. The affected learners are then expected to be placed in schools and return to class on September 14, while the new academic year officially begins on September 8. Why the retake was ordered The ministry announced the retake on August 30 after investigations confirmed that examination malpractice had occurred in 254 examination rooms across the country. “Some of the malpractice was organised and facilitated by adults entrusted with administering the examinations,” the ministry said in a statement. The affected learners had initially faced the possibility of having their examination results cancelled, which is the standard consequence for examination malpractice. However, the ministry said the circumstances warranted an exception. “In the interest of fairness and the future of the affected learners, the ministry has therefore decided to allow them to retake the Primary Leaving Examinations,” it said. The results of the affected candidates had been withheld while investigations were conducted. The 7,188 learners are among the 286,579 candidates who sat the 2025/26 Primary Leaving Examinations in 3,895 schools across the country. The National Examination and School Inspection Authority (NESA) reported an overall pass rate of 82.2 per cent.
