Kigali: A total of 117,347 people sat for driving tests over the past two months as Rwanda National Police (RNP) tackles the driving test backlog largely caused by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rwanda National Police started mass driving tests on June 12, for 251,310 people, who had registered and would have waited until June 2024.
The RNP spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera said that the driving test exercise went well as planned.
“Across the country, tests were conducted and they are continuous, but specifically in the past two months, the whole exercise was focused on testing all the 251310 people, who had registered, most of whom would have waited up to June 2024. It involved increasing the number of trained Police examiners, opening more testing centres across the country and increasing working days and hours,” CP Kabera said.
Driving tests are conducted from Monday to Saturday.
Sites for practical driving tests were increased to 23 in addition to 16 online provisional driving centres and 15 sites for paper-based provisional tests.
As a result, 117347 candidates turned up for the tests representing 46.7 percent of the total expected candidates.
At least 47,023 passed while 70,347 failed.
“Other 133,963 people did not turn up for the tests, although the majority of them said that they were not ready, so they are free to go for the tests on their originally given date.
But if you missed the new given date and you didn’t turn up on your originally given date, then you will be required to register afresh,” CP Kabera clarified.
Having a big number of people not turning up for driving tests because they are not ready, he added, shows how some people register when they are not well prepared.
“People should register for driving tests when they are well prepared. Those who failed have the opportunity to prepare themselves well and register again.
Understand what is required to be a good driver and prepare well for the tests,” CP Kabera said.
Services related to driving tests and licensing, he said, will also continue to be improved. (End)