Over 19,000 students still out of school weeks into new academic year

Nearly a month after the 2026/27 academic year began on September 7, thousands of learners across Rwanda have yet to return to school, with financial difficulties, lack of school materials, family challenges and some learners dropping out to look for work among the reasons keeping them out of class. Northern Province In the Northern Province, 3,793 learners have not yet returned to school. Musanze District recorded the highest number, with 1,202, followed by Rulindo with 1,050, Burera with 798, Gakenke with 523, and Gicumbi with 220. Maurice Mugabowagahunde, Governor of the Northern Province, said there was no single reason for the delayed return, noting that circumstances differed from one child and family to another. “This is why authorities need to follow up on individual cases and establish the specific circumstances preventing each learner from returning to school,” he said. Mugabowagahunde said the delayed return was linked to several factors, including inadequate parental follow-up of children’s education and upbringing, weak cooperation between parents, teachers and school authorities, as well as insufficient appreciation of the importance of education in some families. He said administrative and education authorities were following up on individual cases to establish where the learners were and what was keeping them out of school. “The province and districts are working with schools and parents to address the challenges, including sensitising parents about their responsibilities and strengthening cooperation between families, teachers and school authorities through regular meetings,” he said. Mugabowagahunde said the efforts were aimed at ensuring that every child returns to school and remains in class, with support tailored to the circumstances of individual learners. Schools are also monitoring attendance daily and contacting parents when learners miss classes. For those who have not returned, authorities conduct home visits to engage their families, establish the reasons for their absence and determine what support may be needed. Western Province In the Western Province, 15,993 learners had not yet returned to school out of 1,041,859 expected to report for the new academic year. Jean Bosco Ntibitura, Governor of the Western Province, said the reasons for their absence varied. Among the challenges identified was the inability of some parents to immediately provide all the school materials required by their children. “For families still searching for school materials, parents are being encouraged to communicate with school authorities and agree on arrangements that allow children to continue attending lessons while the missing materials are being sought,” Ntibitura said. He said mobilisation efforts were continuing at household level, with local authorities visiting homes to identify children who had not yet reported to school and establish their whereabouts. “Authorities are also working to understand the circumstances preventing the learners from returning and help them resume their studies,” he said. Southern Province In the Southern Province, 98.8 per cent of learners expected to attend school from nursery to Senior Six had reported to school, according to provincial authorities. Authorities said no child should remain out of school, stressing that education is a basic right. They said some learners who started school late or are relatively older had dropped out to look for money or engage in different forms of work instead of continuing their education. “To bring those still out of school back to class, the province is continuing its Back to School campaign, working with different institutions and partners to identify children who remain out of school and help them return,” provincial authorities said. Schools identify learners who miss classes each day and collect information about their absence. They then work with local authorities at village level to visit the learners’ homes, establish the reasons for the absence and support their return to school. Regular inspections are also conducted to identify children who may be outside appropriate learning environments and encourage them to return to school. Authorities are also continuing to remind parents of their responsibility to ensure that their children attend school, including legal provisions that provide for sanctions against those who fail to comply. The Eastern Province and City of Kigali had not responded by press time to questions regarding the number of learners who had not returned to school and the measures being taken to bring them back.

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Over 19,000 students still out of school weeks into new academic year