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Rwanda Marks Fourth Swahili International Day as Education Reforms Give Hope
Although Swahili has long been part of Rwanda’s official languages and is taught in schools, the 2022 National Census shows that only 1% of Rwandans aged 15 and above can speak it. The Ministry of Education says the ongoing reforms aim to raise this number by strengthening teaching capacity and learning resources.
For the fourth time, Rwanda has hosted events to celebrate the International Swahili Language Day, held in Kigali on Monday,7th July 2025 with the government optimistic that ongoing education reforms will increase the number of Rwandans who can use the language.
The State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Irere Claudette, made the remarks on Monday during the celebration of the fourth International Swahili Language Day held in Rwanda, highlighting the country’s commitment to making Swahili a fully integrated part of Rwandan life.
“This is the first time we are hosting these activities here in Rwanda in a visible way, reminding Rwandans that Swahili is a language we can all speak. The reforms in education mean that we won’t just teach how to speak Swahili but also explore its literature and culture, so that Rwandans can truly make it their own, starting with students,” Irere Claudette said.
She noted that there is still a shortage of qualified Swahili teachers in Rwanda, but the country is working closely with member states of the East African Community (EAC), especially Tanzania, to bring in more trained teachers to fill the gap in schools and universities.
“As you know, we still have very few Swahili teachers here in Rwanda. The advantage is that being in the EAC makes it easier to bring in teachers from countries like Tanzania to help us teach both in schools and at the University of Rwanda,” Irere added.
She also pointed out that while there are existing Swahili teaching resources, more textbooks need to be produced and distributed widely: “Teaching materials are available, some are even online, but books need to be added every year and made accessible in all schools,” she explained.
Globally, Swahili is spoken by over 200 million people, making it the most widely spoken African language. In Rwanda, it is an official language alongside Kinyarwanda, English, and French, and is taught from primary to higher education levels.
Hosting the International Swahili Language Day for the fourth time shows Rwanda’s determination to strengthen Swahili, helping Rwandans benefit more from regional trade, integration, and opportunities within the East African Community.
