Rwanda: vulnerable children get a second chance to learn

It is the first day of catch-up classes for vulnerable children in Ruhengeri, Rwanda. This is a big day. For the 300 children who succeeded in getting a space in the classroom, the suspense and excitement are overwhelming. Most of these children, aged nine to 14, have never been to school. Others dropped out years ago. A national study supported by UNICEF found that around 400,000 primary school-aged and 600,000 secondary school-aged children across Rwanda are not in school. In response to this educational crisis, UNICEF and the Rwandan Ministry for Education set up these classes to give the children another chance.