The program coordinator of Survivor Corps Rwanda will provide updates on various campaigns related to disability rights, cluster munitions and peer support outreach .The problem of Teaching History in Rwanda
Iam discussing with my coleague Lisa from USA issues related to (History, reconciliation and justice in Rwanda ) and I remembered this article I wrote 2 years ago and thought it might be of a bit interest for you…
summary
Rwandans interpret history primarily according to their ethnic group.
Differences in interpretation are partially associated with the violent events of the 1994 genocide. To avoid ethnically biased interpretations of history, the post-genocide Rwandan government made the decision to temporarily stop some themes and period of the Rwandan history to be the taught in primary and secondary schools. Following the recommendation of a national education conference in 1995, the Rwandan government declared its intention to design new history textbooks for primary and secondary school children and to increase teacher training. However, from the end of the genocide in 1994 until the end of March 2004, those themes and periods of history has in fact not been taught in Rwandan schools. It is commonly accepted that an educational system can be misused to deepen divisions in a population as a means of achieving political aims. On the other hand, education can also be used as a means of strengthening peaceful and tolerant attitudes.
The textbook history of Rwanda became a divisive factor following the 1995 conference. In actuality the text was written according to the interests of the authors and donors. Ethnic and other colonial aims were privileged with regard to the facts. However„ not the entire history of Rwanda is contested. Only some themes and periods are at the crux of the controversy.
Rwanda is not an exceptional case. The majority of post-conflict countries have had to rewrite textbooks and organise national debates to correct mistakes of the past or to discuss controversial issues. This is an experience of countries like Germany France, and Poland after the world wars, and recently in South Africa following apartheid.
Thus, in this we analyse the main reasons why the Rwandan government took the decision to stop teaching history in secondary and primary schools and what are the efforts which are being done in terms of designing the civic education manuals by some civil society organisations like Care international Rwanda, USAID, GTZ, DED and the government of Rwanda through the Ministry of Local Government and social affairs, NURC, National Curriculum Development Centre.
Should you need more information about this paper don’t hesitate to contact me on albert.nzamukwereka@gmail.com
