Secondary education in Rwanda consists of the junior secondary and a senior or upper secondary phase, which lasts for 3 years each. Junior secondary education is called ordinary level and encompasses grades seven to nine (S1 to S3) and Admission here is based on the performance in the Primary Leaving Examination.
The upper-secondary school encompasses grades 10 to 12 (S4 to S6) and Admission here requires a student to have passed the O Level examinations and is competitive; high grades are required for admission into desirable schools. All examinations are run by the Rwanda Education Board.
- Grades: 7-12 or 13
- Duration: 6 years
- Primary Languages: English
- Terms : 3 terms
- Admission Term: throughout the year
Lower Secondary (S1 to S3)- students in lower secondary sit for the national secondary Education Ordinary Level test at the end of Form 3 (9th grade) in nine subjects. lower secondary. core subjects are compulsory and examinable at national exams, while the subject chosen among the elective subjects is also examinable. Co-curricular activities are all compulsory. Subjects are in three categories as shown below:
Core Subjects- Kinyarwanda, English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biologyand Health Sciences, Information and Communication Technology, History and Citizenship, Geography andEnvironment, Entrepreneurship, French, Kiswahili, and Literature inEnglish.
Elective Subjects- Religion and Ethics, Music, Dance and Drama, Fine arts and Crafts,Home Sciences and Farming (Agriculture and Animal husbandry).
Co-Curricular Activities- Physical Education and Sports; Library and Clubs.
Upper Secondary School (S4 to S6)- In upper secondary students can choose from three categories of combinations with a total of seventeen differentsubject combinations as follows:
Sciences
- Mathematics- Physics- Geography
- Physics- Chemistry- Mathematics
- Physics- Chemistry - Biology
- Biology- Chemistry- Geography
- Mathematics- Economics- Geography
- Mathematics-Computer Science- Economics
- Mathematics- Physics- Computer Science
- Mathematics- Chemistry- Biology
Humanities
- History- Economics -- Geography
- History- Geography- Literature in English
- History- Economics- Literature in English
- Literature in English- Economics- Geography
- Religious Education- History- Literature in English
- Religious Education- History- Geography
Languages
- Literature in English- French- Kinyarwanda
- Literature in English- Kiswahili- Kinyarwanda
- Literature in English- Kiswahili- French
Let’s take a brief look at some schools offering some of the best education for locals and expatriates in Rwanda.
International School Of Kigali- Rwanda
This is an international, multicultural and diverse school located in Kigali that offers a full curriculum for children aged 5 to 18 years. The school aims to be an inclusive school that cultivates student curiosity, compassion, and engagement with its local and global community. It is a non-profit school offering a relevant, US-based curriculum to a culturally diverse student body that is focused on the development of students with intercultural competencies and a global perspective.
- Founded: 2009
- Address: KG 517 St. Kigali, Rwanda
- Grades: Kindergarten to 12th grade.
- Language of instruction: English
- Type: co-educational, non-profit.
- Terms: 3 terms
- Accreditation: Council of International Schools and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
Middle School- The Middle School program encompasses grades 6 to 8 and is offered through the International Middle Years Curriculum which is an interdisciplinary framework for learning based on the inquiry process. Through this process, students gain literacy, numeracy, social studies, the sciences, visual and performing arts, and digital skills, to mention but a few.
High School- High School here is a center for independent and collaborative learning. It encompasses grades 9 to 12. The program for grades 9 and 10 challenges students to develop the foundational knowledge, skills, and core understandings they will need in the next step of their academic journey. Grade 11 and 12 are aimed at deepening the student's knowledge and sharpening their skills. Learning here focuses on 5 core areas namely English Language Arts, Mathematics, Sciences, Social Sciences, and World Languages. Students will also choose from a variety of electives including computer science, information and communication technology, design technology, the visual and performing arts, and physical education.
Extra-curricular activities- In addition to academics, students can enjoy a variety of extracurricular activities including Singing Club, Traditional Rwandan Dance, Drumming, Everyday Science, Board Games, Lego Robotics, Yearbook and Yoga, and team sports including football, basketball, and volleyball.
Tuition and Fees -Tuition and fees for 2021 and 2022 are as follows, these are charged in US dollars
Grades 2020-2021 Tuition Fee 2021-2022 Tuition Fee
Kindergarten $13 000 $14 625
Elementary (G1-G5) $17 600 $19 800
Middle School (G6-G8) $18 800 $21 150
High School (G9-G12) $21 000 $23 625
Other fees
Capital Development Fee- One-time $3 000
Application Fee (New Student)
KG $500
G1 to G12 $1 000
Enrollment Deposit $2 000
Saint Paul International School
This is an International School located in Remera and run by the Catholic church in Rwanda.it teaches in both Rwanda National Curriculum and Cambridge Curriculum. The school believes that students thrive when treated with love, respect, and consistency, and are exposed to a robust, age-appropriate curriculum. The school aims to create an environment where each individual receives a dynamic education, that enables them to attain academic excellence and to develop moral, spiritual, and patriotic integrity.
- Location: KG 679 street, Kimironko Next to KIE, Kigali, Rwanda
- Language of instruction: English
- Grades: nursery to secondary school.
- Curriculum: IGCSE (Cambridge), Rwanda National Curriculum
- Type: Co-educational
Curriculum- The school offers both the Rwandan Curriculum and the Cambridge curriculum. The Rwandan curriculum offers subjects such as Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English, Literature, Kinyarwanda, French, Geography, History, Entrepreneurship, and Computer Science, to mention but a few. The school also offers Cambridge’s IGCSE curriculum.
Tuition and fees- the folwing are the fees for secondary students here, note these are quoted in Rwf.
school fees 130 000
Registration fee 10 000
Restoration (Depending on the number of days) 70 000 per term
Green Hills Academy
This is a multi-cultural, international school in Kigali that aims to produce principled lifelong learners equipped with the knowledge and skills to excel who will be able to Able to communicate in at least two languages, and who are self-starters with a global perspective, a strong work ethic, and respect for themselves and others. It offers an international education from Nursery to the 12th Grade.
Primary school section
- Founded: 1997
- Address: PO BOX 6419, Kigali KG 278 St, Nyarutarama Kigali (behind the MTN Center)
- Student population: 1500
- Intermationall student representation 60+ countries
- Language of instruction: English
- Type: co-educational, non-profit
- Accreditation: International Baccalaureate, Cognia, Label France Education
Middle school- middle school here offers a balanced, holistic education based on the Cambridge Lower Secondary curriculum. The school offers a French/English bilingual program that is known as the 50/50 program. The middle school aims to develop students who are confident, responsible, reflective, innovative, and engaged. Students take courses in core subjects including English, Mathematics, Science, Global Perspectives, or History/Geography in the 50/50 program. They also take Health, Physical Education, and Information Communication Technology. Elective subjects to choose from include Strings and Band, Kinyarwanda Traditional Dance, Visual Arts, Mandarin, and German. Subjects are also offered in English for the English program.
Extra-curricular activities- the middle school offers a variety of extracurricular activities including Traditional Dance, Swimming, Spanish for Beginners, Cooking, Chess, Social Mixed Football, Girls or Boys Football, Athletics, Tai Chi, Art, Drama, French Drama, Basketball, Chess, Social Media, and Debate.
High School- The high school follows the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) Cambridge curriculum in Grades 9 and 10 and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) in Grades 11 and 12. It offers a balanced, holistic education that provides a strong academic foundation for all students and allows them to explore specialist areas according to their interests, strengths, ability and university aspirations.
In Grades 9 and 10 students study the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) curriculum which is a two-year course. Students will be allowed to choose one subject from each block, from the following:
Block 1- First Language (English- French).
Block 2- Second Language- French- English- German- Mandarin
Block 3- English Literature- French Literature
Block 4- Business Studies- Physics- History- Global Perspectives
Block 5- Biology
Block 6- Chemistry- Geography- Physics- Business Studies
Block 7- Mathematics
Block 8- Art- Band- Physical Education- Information Technology- Additional Maths
In Grades 11 and 12, students study the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) which is a 2-year program. In this program, students are required to study six subjects, chosen from six different groups, of three at Higher Level and three at Standard Level, and a core program. Subject groups are as follows:
Group 1- Language A, English Language and Literature, French Language and Literature
Group 2- Language b, English B, French B, French ab initio SL, andGerman B.
Group 3- Business and Management, Economics, Geography, History, Psychology SL, Environmental Systems and Society, andInformation Technology in Global Society (ITGS).
Group 4- Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science and Society, Physics, Sports, Exercise and Health Science
Group 5- Mathematics SL, Mathematical Studies SL, Mathematics HL
Group 6- Visual Art, or another subject from one of the other groups
Extra-Curricular activities- the school offers more than 35 clubs and other extracurricular activities to choose from. High school students can join any club and activity including Model UN, the Chess Club, the Book Club, the Science Club, Beginning Band, Debate, Interact, Drama, Yearbook, or Cooking. And those High School students who enjoy physical exercise may take part in Badminton, Modern Dance, Aerobics, Table Tennis, Football, Traditional Dance, Karate, Volleyball, and Swimming, to mention but a few.
Facilities- the school offers a variety of state-of-the-art classrooms with projectors, a gym, a band room, boarding, a swimming pool, three ICT laboratories, a Multipurpose hall, three fully-equipped laboratories, and a Football field, to mention but a few.
Prospective students- the following are required from students who seek to apply for admission to the school:
- the Student’s photo
- Parents’ photo
- Birth Certificate or Passport of the student
- Parent ID or Passport
- Vaccination Report
- Report card from the previous school
- Brief Reference letter from the previous school (Grade 5 and above)
Tuition and fees- below are the 2021-2022 Tuition and Fees for middle and high school. Note that A deposit of 250 000 RWF per child is due on May 1 to reserve a space for the next academic year.
Application for Admission Fee: 100 000
Registration Fee: 150 000
