Residents of Rulindo District have raised concerns over children skipping school to work in gemstone mining.
Parents from Cyinzuzi Sector told TV1 that their children leave school thinking that the money they earn from mining will make them rich. However, they warned that in the future, these children will need formal education and skills to complement their physical labor.
One parent said, “The problem we face here is young children not attending school because they are following the money from gemstones. Even at five years old, a child starts understanding the trade.”
According to parents, once a child earns around 2,000 RWF per day, they often stop returning to school.
Rwanda has been working on building a knowledge-based economy, providing free basic education up to senior six. Data from the Ministry of Education for the 2023/24 academic year shows that over 4.8 million students were enrolled in schools.
The statistics indicate that 29.7% of students dropped out in primary schools, 21.4% in lower secondary, and 6.3% in upper secondary. Dropout rates were 5.2% in primary, 4.1% in lower secondary, and 4.8% in upper secondary schools, averaging 4.7% overall.
Cyinzuzi Sector Executive Secretary, Habumuremyi Thadee, said local authorities are working with parents to encourage children to return to school.
He added, “We collaborate with available schools to motivate children to pursue education.”
Data shows that boys are more likely to drop out and engage in activities like gemstone mining and tea plucking in farming areas.
