This explanation is highlighted in the 2024/2025 Education Sector Performance Report released on March 30, 2026, which reflects both the rapid growth of Rwanda’s education sector and the pressure it continues to place on school infrastructure.
Universal access driving enrollment surge
According to the Minister of Education, Joseph Nsengimana, the root cause of overcrowded classrooms is the increasing number of children enrolling in school as part of Rwanda’s inclusive education policy.
“We want every Rwandan child to go to school. This has led to a rise in the number of learners, which in turn creates overcrowding. The solution lies in building more classrooms,” he explained.
This commitment has pushed total student enrollment to over 4.8 million in the 2024/2025 academic year, a clear sign of progress in access to education.
Classroom expansion yet to match demand
Efforts to address congestion are ongoing. The report shows that 3,403 new classrooms were constructed between the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 academic years. This has slightly reduced the average number of students per classroom from 52 to 51.
However, the increase in infrastructure has not kept pace with the growing number of learners.
Primary schools remain the most affected, with an average of 57 students per classroom, exceeding the recommended standard for effective learning. The situation is more severe in lower primary levels, where classrooms host significantly higher numbers of pupils, especially in the first three years of schooling.
Despite the overcrowding, the government maintains that expanding access to education remains a top priority. The focus is now on accelerating the construction of more classrooms to match the rising demand.
At higher levels of education, progress is more visible, with most secondary schools managing to maintain classroom sizes within acceptable limits.
A challenge rooted in progress
MINEDUC emphasizes that overcrowding is largely a result of progress in expanding access to education rather than a failure of the system. As more children enroll in school, the demand for classrooms continues to rise.
The government’s strategy moving forward is to sustain enrollment gains while investing more in infrastructure to improve learning conditions.
As Rwanda continues to reform its education sector, the challenge remains clear: ensuring that every child not only accesses education but does so in an environment that supports quality learning.
