Some students in Kigali City say that after classes were suspended because of the UCI World Cycling Championship, they have not been sitting idle. Instead, they are revising their lessons while also finding time to watch the ongoing race.
Before the World Cycling Championship started in Kigali, the Ministry of Education had announced that from September 21st to 28th, 2025, all schools in the city would temporarily suspend teaching to allow smooth organization of the event.
Once the championship began, schools indeed closed. On the streets where the cyclists are competing, some young people, including students, also gathered to enjoy the spectacle.
Those we spoke to said that even though they are cheering for the cyclists, they have not forgotten their studies since they were given plenty of assignments to work on during this period.
A student named Manzi said: “I wake up at 5 a.m. and review my lessons until 7 a.m., then I prepare myself and go to watch the cycling. At 2 p.m. I go home to rest, and in the evening around 5 p.m. I revise again. So I am studying because we were given a lot of assignments to do during this time when we are not going to school. I am balancing both cycling and studying.”
Mutoni also said: “They gave us exercises to do during this period when we are not going to school. Today I came to watch the cycling, but when I go home, I will rest and then take some time to study because when we return to school, we will have a welcome test and its marks will appear on the report card. So you understand that we must study, but also find time to cheer for cycling.”
Parents also say they are helping their children so that this week does not affect their learning.
Chantal Uwineza said: “I have children in both primary and secondary school. Even though they are watching the cycling since we live near the road where the race passes, they are also focusing on their lessons because they came home with assignments and are working on them. They are not falling behind; they wake up early, first study, then later watch the cycling, and afterwards they rest before returning to their books.”
The Ministry of Education announced that schools in Kigali will resume as usual on Monday, September 29th, 2025, and that the days missed will be added to the school calendar.
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