Rwanda Sets Its Sights on a Knowledge and Technology Driven Economy by 2050
Rwanda has reaffirmed its ambition to transform into a knowledge-based and technology-driven economy by 2050, with education, innovation, and equal opportunities identified as key pillars of the country’s long-term development agenda.
This vision was highlighted following the release of findings from a national assessment conducted by the National Examination and School Inspection Authority (NESA), which evaluated learning outcomes and teaching quality across Rwanda.
The assessment, carried out in May 2025 and presented on June 15, 2026, involved 22,950 students from 592 schools across all districts of the country. It focused on learners in Primary Three, Primary Six, and Senior Three, assessing their competencies in Kinyarwanda, English, Mathematics, and Science.
According to the findings, 63% of Primary Three learners met the expected competency level in Mathematics, compared to 68.7% of Primary Six students and 57.5% of Senior Three students. However, the study also revealed that only 15% of learners demonstrated proficiency in basic mathematical operations such as addition, subtraction, and multiplication.
The assessment further exposed significant challenges in literacy, particularly in reading comprehension. In Kinyarwanda, 49% of Primary Three pupils were able to read at least 35 words per minute, while 71% could read sentences. Nevertheless, only 44% successfully answered questions based on texts they had read.
In English, the results were even more concerning. Only 4% of Primary Three learners demonstrated the ability to understand what they read. The assessment measured students’ capacity to read words, read sentences, and comprehend written texts.
NESA reported that 76% of learners struggled to answer questions related to reading passages, highlighting a major gap in comprehension skills. While 63% could read words, only 46.6% achieved the benchmark of reading at least 35 words per minute.
Speaking on the findings, NESA Director General Bernard Bahati explained that the greatest challenge lies not in the ability to read words, but in understanding, interpreting, and extracting meaning from what is read.
He noted that many students can identify words and read sentences, yet struggle when required to analyze information, think critically, and answer comprehension questions. According to him, only 25.8% of learners in Primary Three and Primary Six were able to correctly respond to questions based on texts they had read.
The findings underscore the importance of strengthening foundational literacy and numeracy skills if Rwanda is to achieve its Vision 2050 aspiration of building a highly skilled, innovative, and competitive workforce. Education experts believe the results will help guide future reforms aimed at improving learning outcomes, enhancing teaching quality, and equipping young people with the knowledge and skills required to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital economy.
Rwanda continues investing in education and innovation, the country sees these efforts as essential to creating a future where every citizen has an equal opportunity to contribute to national development and benefit from a modern, technology driven economy.
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