Rwanda Looks to Global PISA Test to Guide Education Improvements

NESA Director General Dr. Bernard Bahati said the discussions aim to help stakeholders understand Rwanda’s participation in the PISA 2025 assessment and how the results will benchmark the country against international education standards.

“This initiative is a major step in comparing Rwanda’s education quality with global standards,” Dr. Bahati said. “PISA collects not only student test scores but also their perspectives and feedback, which can provide insights to improve teaching and learning.”

Rwanda joined PISA in 2022, and preparations involved multiple activities to ensure readiness. The current phase focuses on processing and analyzing the data. Dr. Bahati encouraged educators and other stakeholders to contribute insights that will help interpret the results and address ongoing challenges in the education system.

The PISA findings are expected to inform Rwanda’s five-year education plan, ESSP 2024–2029, which emphasizes universal access, quality education, technology integration, and support for girls and students with disabilities. Dr. Bahati noted that while 95% of children enter primary school, pre-primary enrollment is just 44.7%, and secondary school attendance remains a concern — gaps that could affect PISA outcomes.

The assessment included 18 private schools, two international schools, 81 public schools, and 112 government-supported institutions across the country. PISA, administered by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), evaluates 15-year-old students in more than 90 countries.

Rwanda’s PISA 2025 results are scheduled for release on Sept. 8, 2026. Officials say the findings will provide a critical benchmark for education quality, offering evidence to guide reforms and improve learning outcomes.