Education Minister Urges Parents to Support Teachers in Children’s Learning

The Minister of Education, Joseph Nsengimana, has called on parents to actively support teachers in their children’s education, stressing that learning is not the sole responsibility of schools.

Speaking on September 8, 2025, during the official launch of the 2025/2026 academic year at Kicukiro Secondary School, Minister Nsengimana said some parents wrongly assume that once a child is in school, there is no need to follow up on their academic progress.

“There are parents who believe that sending a child to school is enough, without checking if the child is studying well, performing, or facing difficulties,” he said. “This leads to situations where a child lags behind in class without the parents realizing why.”

He emphasized that education is a shared responsibility:
“Parents and schools are partners in raising this nation. Schools are ready to support children, but schools alone are not enough. Parents must also play their role by checking on how their children are performing.”

Minister Nsengimana urged parents to work more closely with schools by asking about their children’s academic progress and finding ways to help them at home, instead of leaving the responsibility entirely to teachers.

Parental role in school meals

During the event, Kigali’s Deputy Mayor in charge of Social Affairs, Martine Urejeni, highlighted another challenge: parents who fail to pay their contribution toward school meals.

“We have conducted awareness campaigns urging parents to pay, and to do so on time,” she said. “It remains a recurring problem, but we are committed to ensuring every parent understands the importance of contributing to their child’s school meals.”

Students share their ambitions

Students also shared their reflections as the new academic year begins.

Jesca Nshimiyimana, a Senior Five student, said she balanced helping her parents with household work during the holidays while also revising lessons to prepare for school.
“We took time to rest, helped our parents with work, but also revised to make sure we didn’t forget what we learned,” she said.

Fabrice Ibyishaka, a Senior Six candidate, noted that he is entering the year with a renewed determination.
“We looked at how last year’s candidates performed, and it motivated us,” he said. “This year, we are setting new goals so that we can succeed just like them—or even better.”

About Kicukiro Secondary School

Kicukiro Secondary School, established in 1964, currently has 2,708 students, including 1,346 girls and 1,362 boys.

In Kigali City alone, about 430,000 students are expected to begin classes this year across 669 schools.