EFFECTS OF CLASS REPETITION ON STUDENTS COMPETENCE ACQUISITION IN PUBLIC LOWER PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN RWANDAA CASE OF KICUKIRO

The study intended to assess the effects of class repetition on students competence acquisition in public lower primary schools in the Kicukiro District-Rwanda. Specifically, this research sought to examine the influence of students level of participation on students content comprehension in public lower primary schools in the Kicukiro District, Rwanda to determine the influence of students regular academic practice on students content retention in public lower primary schools in the Kicukiro District, Rwanda and to assess the influence of students intellectual maturity on students content mastery in public lower primary schools in the Kicukiro District, Rwanda the researcher adopted the descriptive survey design with quantitative and qualitative methods of collection and analyzing data. The study population comprises 1271 from which a sample size of 312 was collected using the Yamane formula including 302 teachers, and 10 head teachers. The researcher used simple random sampling to select the teachers and purposive sampling to select head teachers of public lower primary schools. This study used the questionnaire and interview guide to gather information. Information was analyzed descriptively in terms of frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation, and correlational analysis was given by multiple regression through statistical product and service solution (SPSS version 21). Data was tabulated and statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics such as percentages, frequencies and means. Data was presented in frequency and percentages tables. Multiple regression analysis technique was used to determine the effect of independent variables on the dependent variables. The results showed that there is a statistically significant relationship (r = .865, p < .01) between students level of participation and students content comprehension in lower primary schools of Kicukiro District. This also implies an association between the effect of students level of participation and students content comprehension in lower primary schools of the Kicukiro District. Furthermore, according to the findings, there is a strong positive correlation (r = .802, p < .01) between students regular academic practice and content retention. This indicates that students who engage in regular academic practice are more likely to retain the information they learn. Finally, the results indicate that there is a moderate to strong positive correlation (r = .735, p < .01) between students intellectual maturity and content mastery. These results suggest that a combination of active engagement, consistent practice, and critical thinking is crucial for student success. However, individual differences, including those influenced by class repetition, can also impact these factors. To address this issue, the researcher advocates for a multifaceted approach that includes strengthening student support systems, improving teacher capacity, and optimizing educational policies. By prioritizing early intervention, resource allocation, and data-driven decision-making, the study concluded that it is possible to significantly reduce class repetition rates and enhance overall student outcomes.