A total of 541 secondary school heads and 349 primary school headteachers—890 school heads in total—have been removed from their positions after failing examinations in which the minimum passing mark was set at 70%. This decision is not subject to appeal.
However, all those who failed the exams are allowed to continue working as teachers in primary and secondary schools. Surprising? Yes, it is true.Among the subjects assessed was English language proficiency, yet despite failing, they are still permitted to teach students. They were officially relieved of their leadership duties starting from the second term of the 2025 school year.
Let us hear from the Deputy Director General of the Rwanda Basic Education Board (REB), Dr Flora Mutezigaju. She first explained:
“A school head is the one who carries the vision of the institution, supports learning, manages state-provided resources properly, and works closely with parents, because a school does not operate alone—it involves parents as well.”
In response to the question about what was evaluated, she said that the first criterion was:
1. General Conduct of the School Head
“An initial assessment was conducted at district level, focusing on two aspects, including the general conduct of the school head and their commitment to work. This assessment was marked out of 100 points.The districts submitted the results to REB. In total, 5,277 school heads were evaluated by REB as part of a performance review.Among them, 890 scored below 70%, representing 16%. The weaknesses identified mainly related to behavior: how they conduct themselves, how they relate with teachers and students, and how they resolve conflicts involving learners and staff.”
2. Management of School Resources
Dr Mutezigaju stated that the second criterion was financial and resource management:
“Many performed poorly in this area. Some were found to have stolen food meant for students, while others were frequently absent from their workplaces.”
Among the dismissed school heads were individuals who diverted students’ food.
3. English Language Proficiency
The third area assessed was competence in English.For many, English posed a serious challenge. They had long been warned that they needed to master English, which is the main language of instruction in Rwanda.Their poor command of English, despite being school leaders, negatively affected students performance in their schools. School years results over the past three years were reviewed.
L’ancien Premier ministre Dr Édouard Ngirente avait annoncé que le gouvernement rwandais préparait un programme visant à évaluer les enseignants du primaire et du secondaire sur leur maîtrise de l’anglais, et à retirer de la fonction ceux qui ne maîtrisent pas la langue d’enseignement.
Government Position on English Proficiency
Former Prime Minister Dr Édouard Ngirente previously announced that the Rwandan government was preparing a program to evaluate primary and secondary school teachers on their English proficiency, with those found lacking to be removed from service.
English proficiency therefore played a major role in these decisions.On Thursday, June 19, 2025, while addressing both chambers of Parliament on achievements in social welfare, MP Balinda Rutebuka raised concerns about the quality of education, emphasizing that it largely depends on teachers’ proficiency in English
In response, the Prime Minister stated:
“To address this issue, Rwanda has launched a program to recruit expert teachers from Zimbabwe to teach in Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs), with the aim of improving English proficiency among future teachers. These institutions have been given special support, and teachers graduating this academic year will be better prepared.”
He further announced a two-year nationwide program for in-service teachers to strengthen their English skills:
“After the training, they will sit for an examination. Those who pass will remain in the profession; those who fail will be removed, as they will not be competent in the language of instruction.”
He concluded:
“After the training, they will sit for an examination. Those who pass will remain in the profession; those who fail will be removed, as they will not be competent in the language of instruction.”
Other Factors: Academic Qualifications and Demographics
Another reason cited was outdated academic qualifications.Most of the dismissed school heads held only an A2 (upper secondary) certificate, and many were advanced in age.
Among the 5,277 school heads evaluated, 3,100 were men and 2,000 were women. REB also noted that schools led by women generally performed better than those led by men.
Final Question
Do you think that removing school heads for failing English, poor performance evaluations, and misconduct, while still allowing them to teach in primary and secondary schools, will genuinely improve the quality of public education? Does it make sense to fail an assessment and still remain a teacher?
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2 thoughts on “Rwanda: MINEDUC Dismisses 890 School Heads. Here Are the Real Reasons!”
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