Variations in pre-primary education infrastructure within and across administrative sectors in Rwanda

This study examines disparities in structural quality across Rwanda’s pre-primary modalities—centre-based, community-based, and home-based—operating under a single policy framework. Using data from 4,875 settings across 91 administrative sectors in seven districts, we applied multilevel models to separate within-sector differences by modality from between-sector variation, associated with sector-level socioeconomic status (SES). We modeled infrastructure quality with three latent factors: (1) physical facilities, (2) access to public infrastructure, and (3) operational quality. Within sectors, findings indicated that home-based settings—most prevalent in rural and lower-SES sectors—had markedly lower quality than centre-based settings (–0.73 SD for physical facilities; − 0.85 SD for operational quality). Gaps persisted between sectors. Community-based settings showed similar structural constraints; however, between-sector disparities were not meaningful after adjusting for sector-level SES. Overall, structural quality is conditioned by both setting modality and local socioeconomic conditions. Policy might consider prioritizing a minimum structural package for home-based settings, paired with educator training, sustainable financing, and supportive oversight.