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Rwanda has ordered 7,188 primary school learners to retake their 2025/26 Primary Leaving Examinations after confirmed mass cheating.
The Ministry of Education announced the decision on Sunday, after investigations found cheating 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.
The affected learners faced possible cancellation of their results, the usual punishment for examination malpractice.
However, the ministry said the circumstances warranted giving the learners another opportunity.
“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 retake examinations will take place from September 2 to 4, 2026.
The National Examination and School Inspection Authority (NESA) is expected to release the timetable, examination centres and further guidance on Monday.
Education Minister Joseph Nsengimana said on Friday that the case represented the highest number of examination malpractice cases ever recorded in the country’s national exams.
The ministry withheld the results of candidates suspected of cheating while investigations continued.
The ministry said it would work with NESA, learners, parents, schools and local authorities to ensure the retake causes minimal disruption.
It also said anyone found to have organised, facilitated or deliberately enabled the malpractice would be held accountable.
The affected learners are among 286,579 students from 3,895 schools who sat the examinations.
NESA said 82.2 percent of candidates passed the examinations.
