REB Releases Official 2027 School Timetables lower and Upper Primary

 

The Rwanda Basic Education Board (REB) has officially issued updated operational guidelines and standardized timetables for the 2026–2027 academic year (Doc Ref: REB/DG/5344/2026). Aimed at strengthening competency-based learning, inclusive education, and student well-being, the new directive outlines clear schedules across Pre-Primary, Primary, Secondary, and Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs).

Whether you are a school leader, a teacher, or a parent, here are the vital policy shifts and daily schedule changes you need to know:

1. Mandatory Daily Co-Curricular Activities (3:30 PM – 5:00 PM) Co-curricular engagement is now a daily requirement across basic education. From Monday to Thursday, 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM, all schools must run structured co-curricular programs. These range from sports, environmental clubs, and entrepreneurship to digital literacy, Itorero, and creative arts.

2. Dedicated Friday Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for Teachers To ensure continuous teacher growth without disrupting instructional hours, student dismissals are scheduled for 3:30 PM on Fridays. Teachers will spend the 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM block in mandatory Continuous Professional Development (CPD) sessions focused on peer learning, lesson reflections, and pedagogical mastery.

3. Structured Remedial Teaching in Primary Education Addressing learning gaps remains a core priority. Schools are directed to embed remedial instruction directly into afternoon blocks. Primary schools will deliver target-driven catch-up sessions in Foundational Mathematics, Kinyarwanda, and English to ensure no learner is left behind.

4. Transition to the 5-Year TTC Diploma Programme A major structural shift is underway in teacher education. REB is phasing out the legacy A2 TTC certificate. While current Year 2 and Year 3 students will complete their A2 program, incoming Year 1 students in 2026–2027 are transitioning into the new 5-Year TTC Diploma Programme.

5. Cross-Cutting Digital Literacy & AI Guidance Digital capability is no longer an isolated subject. REB mandates the integration of digital skills across all levels, guiding students from basic device handling in lower primary to evaluating AI-generated outputs responsibly in upper secondary.

What Schools Must Do Next: Headteachers and Directors of Studies (DOS) are urged to construct school-level timetables that align strictly with these period allocations while adapting co-curricular offerings to locally available resources.

 

LOWER PRIMARY (P1–P3)  DAILY TIMETABLE

Hours	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Morning shift
7:45 – 8:00	Morning Assembly	Morning Assembly	Morning Assembly	Morning Assembly	Morning Assembly
8:00 – 8:40	Ikinyarwanda	Ikinyarwanda	Ikinyarwanda	Ikinyarwanda	Ikinyarwanda
8:40 – 9:20	Mathematics	Mathematics	Mathematics	Mathematics	Mathematics
9:20 – 10:00	English	English	English	English/Phonics Reading	English/Phonics Reading
10:00 – 10:20	Break	Break	Break	Break	Break
10:20 – 11:00	SRE	SRE	SET	SET	French
11:00 – 11:40	PE & Sports	Creative Arts (Music)	PE & Sports	French	Creative Arts (Fine Arts)
11:40 – 12:40	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch
Afternoon shift
12:40 – 12:50	Afternoon Assembly	Afternoon Assembly	Afternoon Assembly	Afternoon Assembly	Afternoon Assembly
12:50 – 1:30	Ikinyarwanda	Ikinyarwanda	Ikinyarwanda	Ikinyarwanda	Ikinyarwanda
1:30 – 2:10	Mathematics	Mathematics	Mathematics	Mathematics	Mathematics
2:10 – 2:50	English	English	English	English/Phonics Reading	English/Phonics Reading
2:50 – 3:30	SRE	Creative Arts	PES	SET	French
3:30 – 3:40	Break	Break	Break	Break	Break
3:40 – 4:20	Kinyarwanda reading/remedial	Creative Arts activities	PES Activities	Creative Arts activities	CPD
4:20 – 5:00	PES Activities	English reading/remedial	Itorero and life skills	French reading/Maths remedial	CPD

TIME ALLOCATION  LOWER PRIMARY (P1–P3)

CLICK HERE TO JOIN AFROCAREERS.COM WHATSAPP CHANNEL

UPPER PRIMARY (P4–P6)  DAILY TIMETABLE

.TIME ALLOCATION  UPPER PRIMARY