Rwanda to Participate in 2025 International Student Assessment (PISA)

The Ministry of Education (MINEDUC), through the National Examination and School Inspection Authority (NESA), has announced Rwanda’s participation in the 2025 edition of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

A total of 7,455 students from 213 schools located across different regions of the country are expected to take part in the assessment, which will conclude on June 7, 2025.

According to NESA, PISA is designed to assess students’ ability to apply the knowledge and skills they acquire in school to solve real-world problems. Rwanda’s participation demonstrates its continued commitment to advancing its education system and measuring its progress against 91 other participating countries worldwide.

The national launch of the assessment is scheduled for Monday, April 28, 2025, at 9:00 AM. Minister of Education Nsengimana Joseph will officiate the ceremony at Camp Kigali High School (GS Camp Kigali) in Nyarugenge District. Simultaneously, the Minister of State in charge of Education, Claudette Irere, will lead the launch event at Nu-Vision High School in Gasabo District.

In 2023, PISA was conducted with the participation of 81 countries, focusing primarily on mathematics. The results for that round were published in December 2025. Additional results assessing students’ skills in financial literacy, creative thinking, and life readiness were released in 2024.

The 2025 PISA assessment marks the ninth cycle of this global initiative, with the results expected to be officially released in 2026. Conducted every three years since 2000, PISA provides valuable insights that help countries refine their education policies and improve learning outcomes.

In Rwanda, the assessment follows a national awareness campaign that began on March 17, 2025, aimed at preparing schools, students, and communities for effective participation.