The number of people arrested over alleged mass cheating in Rwanda’s 2025/26 Primary Leaving Examinations has risen to 127, as investigations into the examination malpractice continue.
The Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) has arrested 46 additional suspects, following the arrest of 81 people earlier in September over their alleged involvement in facilitating cheating during the national examinations.
The latest suspects were arrested in eight districts. Nyabihu recorded the highest number with 16 suspects, followed by Kayonza with 11 and Rwamagana with six. Nyamagabe had four suspects, while Gicumbi and Huye each recorded three. Musanze had two, and Kirehe had one.
RIB spokesperson Thierry Murangira confirmed the latest arrests to The New Times on September 17, describing them as part of the ongoing investigation.
“It is a progress of investigation,” Murangira said.
The case files involving suspects from Kirehe, Kayonza, Rwamagana, Nyabihu, Musanze, Nyamagabe and Huye were forwarded to the Prosecution on September 14. The file involving suspects from Gicumbi was submitted on September 15.
The suspects face charges including misuse of legally granted authority for personal gain and breach of professional secrecy.
Under Article 15 of Rwanda’s law on fighting corruption, misuse of legally granted authority for personal gain is classified as a corruption-related offence. A conviction can result in seven to 10 years in prison and a fine of between Rwf5 million and Rwf10 million.
Breach of professional secrecy, provided for under Article 150 of the law establishing the penal code, carries a one- to two-year prison sentence upon conviction.
The latest arrests follow RIB’s announcement on September 5 that it had arrested 81 people suspected of playing different roles in the examination malpractice.
Those arrested included local government officials, district and sector education officers, school administrators, teachers and other school staff.
RIB said its investigations had established that the suspected malpractice was organised and facilitated both before and during the examinations.
The investigation followed a decision by the Ministry of Education to order 7,188 pupils to retake the 2025/26 Primary Leaving Examinations after widespread cheating was uncovered.
On August 30, the ministry said malpractice had been identified in 254 examination rooms across the country, with some cases allegedly organised or facilitated by adults entrusted with administering the examinations.
The affected pupils sat the retake examinations from September 2 to 4, giving them another opportunity to complete the national examinations.
Education Minister Joseph Nsengimana described the more than 7,000 affected pupils as the highest number of examination malpractice cases ever reported in Rwanda’s national examinations.
A total of 286,579 learners from 3,895 schools sat the 2025/26 Primary Leaving Examinations, which recorded an overall pass rate of 82.2 per cent.
Meanwhile, education officials have also reported that at least 1,000 candidates sitting the Advanced Level national examinations were suspected of involvement in examination malpractice.
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KIGALI TIME