The USAID/Rwanda Education Office conducted a desk review of the gender, disability, and social inclusion issues facing the Rwandan basic education sector, as well as the extent to which USAID/Rwanda’s closed LEARN! Project (2015-2020) addressed these issues. The purpose of the analysis was to inform the design and implementation of USAID/Rwanda’s new LEARN Project (2020-2025), and to generate recommendations to improve gender equity and social inclusion through USAID’s investments.

One major finding was that the gender issues identified in 2015 remain relevant today, and there is a lack of updated data about gender disparities between then and now. Challenges are manifested in dropout and repetition among both girls and boys, and fewer women than men in high-level and decision-making positions.