Clad in a long white cotton coat to protect his light blue shirt and pair of sky blue jeans from being soiled by specks of chalk, Felicien Ngarukiyirwanda is teaching Physics to senior three students of Ecole Secondaire Kacyiru I.

From the first moment you set your eyes on him, it’s easy to tell that he oozes confidence and charm. He induces laughter from the students as he leaves the classroom to have a chat with the Education Times.

Ngarukiyirwanda was born in Rubyiniro cell, Muhanga district in 1973. His father was a cell leader while his mother was a farmer. 

"We had no televisions, no radios and no technology. If we weren’t at school, then we were playing with other children from the neighbourhood,” he recalls. And play he did. He talks of numerous occasions when he missed curfew and was given thorough beatings by his mother. "I was very naughty,” he says. "I often fought with my siblings because as a firstborn, I imposed rules on them.”

Despite his high spiritedness, Ngarukiyirwanda knew that he needed to put a lot of focus on his studies because unlike now, there were few opportunities for school so if you got a chance, you grabbed it and held on to it. Moreover, he was also striving towards his dream of becoming a doctor. "I admired the fact that they brought people back to life,” he says.

Source of inspiration 

But after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, his dreams changed. He saw the need for teachers of science subjects in his country and decided to become an educator. "When I first started teaching, I was not qualified. But with the help of the government, I got a Diploma in Maths and Physics as well as a Bachelor of Science in Demography.” 

Still, Ngarukiyirwanda wishes he had grown up in a country where people knew no prejudice based on race. He wishes that the history of Rwanda was different because he believes that what happened will forever bring memories of shock, guilt and pain in the minds of all Rwandans. 

In the same breath, he sings his praises to President Paul Kagame who continues to advocate for a spirit of self-reliance among the Rwandan people, to build themselves without waiting for a helping hand from other countries. "He is my role model,” the successful teacher reveals.

The award-winning teacher

For sixteen years now, Ngarukiyirwanda has tirelessly provided knowledge in Physics to secondary school students and his teaching methods have been best described as innovative and effective. 

"I like Ngarukiyirwanda. He teaches diligently and shows us how to apply what we have learnt in Physics at our homes,” says Kenny Mugisha, a student. Charlotte Uwimbabazi, another student agrees. "He teaches us with determination because he loves his job and has mustered the subject,” she says.

It’s clear that Ngarukiyirwanda deserves every award that he has won. He goes out of his way to make sure that students understand what he is teaching, sometimes sacrificing his own money to buy materials for carrying out experiments. 

"He is the kind of teacher who, when he finishes teaching a topic, asks those who haven’t understood to consult him. He even gives us his telephone number so we can call him if we need his help,” Regis Mugisha, a student, says.

So far, Ngarukiyirwanda has received four awards for being an outstanding teacher in Rwanda. The first time he won an award was in 2011, having been selected as the best Physics teacher for Gasabo district.

For that, he received a laptop. In 2012, he became the best Physics teacher for all the districts in Kigali city and was given a cow. In 2013, he won the award for best Physics teacher, countrywide and got to meet the Minister of State. He has also been selected for this year’s national award and he still waiting for his prize.

Challenges

Like any other teacher, Ngarukiyirwanda is confronted by a number of challenges, a small monthly remuneration being at the top of the list. He also has a hard time getting students to take their studies seriously. "During our time, there were few opportunities for education and few learning materials but we took education seriously.

Now students seem to have more interest in listening to music than learning.” But none of these challenges discourage him from loving his profession.

The man of many hats

Not only is he an outstanding teacher, he is also the man in whom fellow staff members find counsel and help.  He is also described as fun, cooperative and always reliable according to his fellow teachers Assumpta Tuyishimire and Anne Mary Mukankurunziza.

Ngarukiyirwanda also defeated three hundred and ninety nine participants in an examination organised by the institute of statistics for Francophone countries, earning him a scholarship to study a master’s degree in Demography. He blames his inability to take up the opportunity on having been physically unwell at the time.

He also wears two other hats as a husband and a father of three. "I met my wife at the school I was teaching then. She was also a teacher. I told her that I loved her and wanted to be with her. She accepted to be with me but told me to wait for a year and so I did. We eventually got married and my wedding day, 27th December, 2003 remains the best day of my life,” he narrates. 

Perhaps, the memory of that day would be perfect if he didn’t still feel the embarrassment of discovering that one of the families that contributed a cow for bride price left on an empty stomach.

Plans for the future

"I’ll probably continue to teach even after retirement,” he says. "I will probably set up a school so I can provide education,” he adds. Ngarukiyirwanda feels that providing education is embedded in his soul and the legacy he wants to leave behind is that of a teacher that stood out from the crowd.