Whether you are a P6 pupil preparing for your first national examination, an S3 student heading into your O-Level year, or an S6 student
with three months to go before July's A-Level exams, one question matters more
than almost any other: am I using the right materials?
Rwanda's education system has more high-quality, freely
accessible resources than most students realize. The problem is not scarcity,
it is knowing where to look, which materials are official, and how to use them
in a way that actually improves your results.
This guide covers everything: official government textbooks,
past papers and marking schemes, online platforms, supplementary tools, and
when to consider extra support. Every resource listed here is verified, and the
free ones are genuinely free.
1. REB Official Textbooks and Teachers' Guides (This is your foundation)
The single most important set of learning materials for any
Rwandan student is the official curriculum published by the Rwanda Basic
Education Board (REB). Everything in your national examination is drawn from
this curriculum; not from YouTube, not from foreign textbooks, not from notes a
classmate shared on WhatsApp.
The Rwanda Basic Education Board has officially launched the
2025 revised primary textbooks and teachers' guides, covering the full spectrum
from Primary 1 to Primary 6. These updated materials are specifically designed
to support the Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC) and improve classroom outcomes
across the country.
For each grade, REB publishes two types of materials:
Pupils' Books (PB) :The main learning material written
directly for students. They contain reading passages, activities, exercises,
diagrams, and assessment tasks aligned with competency-based learning
objectives.
Teachers' Guides (TG): While written for teachers, these
guides are incredibly useful for self-studying students and parents supporting
their children at home. They explain exactly what each lesson is trying to
achieve and how to approach difficult concepts.
The 2025 revised books use more locally relevant examples
and scenarios that Rwandan children can relate to, improving engagement and
comprehension especially in English, Social Studies, and Science subjects. Each
unit now opens with a clear statement of what the student should be able to do
by the end of the lesson, making it easier for both teachers and students to
measure progress.
Secondary school textbooks (S1–S6) are also published by REB
for every subject across all combinations, including Biology, Chemistry, Physics,
Mathematics, Economics, Geography, History, Computer Science, English, and
more.
Where to Download Official REB Textbooks — Free
All official REB textbooks are available at no cost on the
REB e-learning platform:
elearning.reb.rw
Official REB e-learning platform
(website)
REB eLearning App Available on Google Play Store. REB developed
the eLearning platform to assist and improve learning methods through the use
of modern digital technology. The platform aims to benefit teachers and
learners with easier access to educational resources, and it is accessible on
laptops, desktops, tablets, and smartphones.
How to navigate the REB e-learning platform:
- Go to elearning.reb.rw
- Look for the section labelled "Textbooks and Resources" or use the search bar to search for your grade level (e.g., "S5 Biology Student Book")
- Click on the folder for your specific grade and subject
- Download the PDF file directly to your device
All materials are free. You do not need to create an account
to access most of them.
2. NESA Past Papers and Marking Schemes (The Most Powerful Exam Tool)
If official textbooks are your foundation, NESA past papers
are your most powerful exam preparation tool. Nothing comes close.
Past exam papers are the actual question papers and official
marking schemes used in real NESA examinations from previous years, dating as
far back as 2001. These are not practice exercises invented by teachers, they
are the real questions that real students sat for.
Every year, thousands of Rwandan students face their national
examinations with anxiety not because they lack intelligence, but because they
don't know what to expect. Practiced consistently and correctly, past papers
are the single most powerful study tool available completely free and officially accessible to
every student in Rwanda.
Past papers are available for all five national examination
levels: P6, S3, S6, TTC, and TVET.
Where to Download NESA Past Papers (Free)?
nesa.gov.rw/resources
— The official NESA website. Navigate to Resources → Past Papers →
Select your year and level. Papers and marking schemes are available going back
to 2002.
rwandapapers.co.rw
— A well-organised third-party platform with S6 past papers and marking schemes
for 21 subjects, available to view, download, and print instantly.
thinkbig.rw — Organised collection of national
exam past papers for P6, S3, and S6 from 2002 to 2023.
nationalexamination.rw — Mock papers for S3 and
S6 subjects with questions and answers, useful for additional practice beyond
official past papers.
Important: All past papers published on the official NESA
website are completely free to download. Any website charging you for these papers
is operating unethically so, do not pay for them. If you see a website asking
for payment for NESA past papers, leave immediately and go directly to the
official NESA site.
How to Use Past Papers Effectively
Having past papers is only half the work. Here is how to use
them to actually improve your grade:
Do not use them as the first thing you study. Past papers
work best after you have revised the topic from your textbook. Sit a paper on a
topic, then use the marking scheme to understand exactly what the examiner
expected not just whether your answer was right or wrong.
Time yourself strictly. Sit each paper under real conditions:
same time limit, no notes, pen and paper. This is the only way to develop the
exam stamina and time management that determines performance on the actual day.
Study the marking scheme as carefully as the paper. S6
students must remember that A-Level papers test deep conceptual understanding,
not memorization. When reviewing past paper marking schemes, pay close
attention to how examiners expect you to structure essay-type answers. The
format and logical flow of your answer often matters as much as the content.
For format accuracy, prioritize papers from 2015 onwards, as
this aligns with the introduction of Rwanda's updated competency-based
curriculum.
3. The REB e-Learning Platform : Digital Learning Beyond Textbooks
Beyond textbooks, the REB e-learning platform offers more
than downloadable PDFs. The REB e-learning platform is a space where teachers
can create classes, lessons and enroll students to read and complete formative
assessments with automatic feedback. The platform facilitates teachers to
detect slow learners and talented learners and support them in their learning
activities.
- For students using it independently, the platform provides:
- Digital versions of all official textbooks
- Supplementary lesson content aligned with the CBC curriculum
- Access through both the website and the mobile app useful for students without a reliable computer at home
Students also have access to Microsoft Office 365 tools
through a REB partnership, including Microsoft Teams for collaboration and
OneNote for digital note-taking. Teachers and students can get their Office 365
accounts through the REB platform, which provides access to Microsoft Learning
tools including Teams and ClassNote.
4. Khan Academy ; Free World-Class Maths and Science Support
For students who want additional explanation beyond their
REB textbooks, particularly in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, Khan
Academy is the most consistently recommended free global platform.
Khan Academy is on an ambitious mission to offer free,
world-class education for everyone, anywhere. Their interactive practice
problems, videos, and articles help students succeed in biology, chemistry,
physics, math, economics, finance, grammar, history, and many other subjects.
Khan Academy provides teachers and students with tools to
track progress, with real-time summaries of performance that help identify
which topics are being struggled with. The cost is free minus a computer and
internet connection.
Khan Academy is particularly useful for:
S4–S6 Mathematics : Algebra, Calculus, Statistics, Trigonometry
S4–S6 Physics and Chemistry : Conceptual explanations with worked examples
S3 Science : Biology, Physics, Chemistry foundations
P5–P6 Mathematics : Operations, fractions, geometry
khanacademy.org , Free. No account required to watch videos; create a free account to track your progress.
5. Secondary School Subject Textbooks (S1–S6) Where to Find Them
For secondary school students, REB has published full
student books and teachers' guides for every subject across all combinations.
These are available on the REB e-learning platform. Here is a summary of what
is available per level:
S1–S3 (O-Level): Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics,
English, French, Kinyarwanda, History and Citizenship, Geography and
Environment, ICT, Entrepreneurship, Religious Education
S4–S6 (A-Level): Advanced Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry,
Physics, Computer Science, Economics, Geography, History and Literature,
English, French, Kinyarwanda, Kiswahili, Entrepreneurship, General Studies and
Communication Skills (GSCS)
All books are available as free PDFs at elearning.reb.rw.
For students who prefer a physical copy, REB textbooks are
stocked by most school bookshops in Kigali and in district education offices
across Rwanda.
6. Additional Platforms Worth Knowing
Beyond REB and NESA, here are verified additional resources
that Rwandan students have found useful:
- thinkbig.rw — Rwanda-specific education platform with past papers, timetables, and curriculum news. Particularly strong for secondary school students at O and A Level.
- rwandapapers.co.rw — Clean, well-organised past paper repository for S3, S6 and other levels. Easy to navigate by subject and year.
- YouTube: For concept explanations in Mathematics and Science, search specifically for your REB subject and topic. Channels like "The Organic Chemistry Tutor" (for Chemistry and Physics) and "Professor Leonard" (for Advanced Mathematics) and others are used by secondary students across Africa.
- Google Scholar and Wikipedia: For S6 General Studies and Communication Skills (GSCS), History, Geography, and Economics research tasks, Google Scholar provides access to academic sources, while Wikipedia offers reliable overviews as a starting point (always verify with a second source).
7. When Free Materials Are Not Enough Private Tutoring
Free resources are genuinely excellent in Rwanda. The
combination of REB official textbooks, NESA past papers, and Khan Academy
covers a great deal of what any student needs to prepare for national
examinations.
But there are situations where a student needs more than materials
alone can provide:
- You have the books and the past papers but cannot understand a key concept after reading it multiple times
- You are studying independently without a teacher's daily guidance
- You are a P6 or S3 student whose parents want to supplement school learning at home
- You are an S6 student targeting a specific grade combination for university admission and need expert-level subject coaching
- You are struggling with exam technique rather than content knowing the material but losing marks in how you structure your answers
This is where one-on-one tutoring with a qualified,
experienced tutor makes a measurable difference. The right tutor does not replace your books they help you use them more effectively.
At Mathrone Academy, we match students at every level — P6
through A-Level , with vetted, curriculum-aligned tutors across Rwanda.
Sessions are available online via video call or at home, scheduled around your
timetable.
WhatsApp us on +250
786 684 285 to find the right tutor for your subject and level
within 24 hours.
Request a tutor at Mathrone Academy — it takes
less than two minutes.
Quick Reference: Learning Materials Summary
|
Resource |
What It Covers |
Cost |
Link |
|
REB e-Learning Platform |
All official textbooks P1–S6, CBC-aligned |
Free |
|
|
REB eLearning App |
Mobile access to REB textbooks |
Free |
Google Play Store |
|
NESA Past Papers |
P6, S3, S6, TTC, TVET (2002–present) |
Free |
|
|
Rwanda Papers |
S3 & S6 past papers, 21 subjects |
Free |
|
|
ThinkBig Rwanda |
Past papers, timetables, resources |
Free |
|
|
National Examination RW |
S3 & S6 mock papers with answers |
Free |
|
|
Khan Academy |
Maths, Sciences, English — all levels |
Free |
|
|
Mathrone Academy Courses |
Rwanda curriculum-aligned video courses |
Paid |
|
|
Mathrone Academy Tutoring |
1-on-1 live tutoring, P6 to A-Level |
Paid |
Final Word
The best learning material is not the most expensive one. In
Rwanda, a student who consistently works through official REB textbooks and
practices with NESA past papers has everything they need to perform well in
national examinations. The resources exist. They are free. They are official.
What separates students who use them effectively from those
who do not is usually one thing: knowing how to study, not just what to study.
If you need guidance on that or a
qualified tutor for a subject that is giving you difficulty, Mathrone Academy is here.