Reducing Class Sizes Can Improve Learning in Rwanda’s Public Primary Schools

Key messages

• Prioritise class size reductions in Grades 1–3, where learning gains are highest and returns are most cost-effective.
• Set a national target of 40–45 pupils per stream in public primary schools—reductions beyond this threshold yield diminishing returns.
• Accelerate the shift to single-shift schooling in early grades—class size reductions deliver significantly larger gains in single-shift schools.
• Complement class size reductions with structured teacher support—coaching, lesson guides, and professional development—to sustain gains beyond the short run.

Key messages as published in the author’s policy brief.