Rwanda has achieved notable success in the education sector, boasting the highest net enrollment rate in Sub-Saharan Africa with 98.8 percent of children enrolled in primary school. The remaining challenges include increasing literacy and numeracy levels, and reducing the school drop-out rate. To meet its development goals and to strengthen the necessary human capital, Rwanda needs to increase the quality of basic education service delivery.

In partnership with the Ministry of Education, USAID works to increase the quality of foundational learning so that children read better in the language they know and understand. USAID programs are present in every public school in Rwanda. In homes and communities, USAID empowers and encourages adults to read with their children. In all programming, USAID promotes equitable access for the most vulnerable groups. 

For a comprehensive look at our impact on foundational literacy in Rwanda from 2011 to 2022, please see our preliminary report available for download here.

A recent article summarizing the findings of the comprehensive study of USAID investments in foundational literacy in Rwanda is available here.  

For more details, please download our education program overview here. For information about specific activities, please select from the options below: