When I met Jérôme Kajuga for the first time in his office at Rwanda Education Board in Kimironko, the teacher in him was quite prominently on his face.

No wonder, most of his former students call him "father,” not because he studied in a seminary set up, but because of his parental approach to solving individual problems of each leaner that went through his hands.

The Director of Culture, Social and Human Sciences at the Rwanda National Commission for UNESCO, is by all aspects a very humble and soft-spoken man. "In all circumstances he will comfort you,” says Jackline Uwamaria, his former student, who describes him as "an oasis of hope to the disturbed.”

Born in present-day Southern Province in the village of Runga in Ngoma sector in 1962, Kajuga is the son of the late Gabriel Kajuga and his wife, Ancilla.

He was born and raised at the time when the political situation in Rwanda could only be described as fluid — characterised nepotism, widespread ethnic discrimination and state-inspired violence against the Tutsi throughout the country. This was later to have an influence on his education, just like many other children of his ethnic background.

In fact, even his father, who against all odds rose to prominence in the area, had attended missionary schools but was denied opportunity to study medicine even after he had gained admission to the medical school at the former National University of Rwanda in Butare.

The senior Kajuga had no option but to settle for employment as a secretary at Indatwa School around the time when his son was born; from which he earned a fairly decent living for his young family.

The younger Kajuga was therefore never a needy child; nor did he have a bountiful upbringing. Yet this relatively good life did not last much longer as ethnic discrimination escalated.

One day, Kajuga witnessed their family house being demolished for nothing other than sheer hate. "It was very unfortunate that when I was only five years old, I witnessed our house being brought down by the people who envied our prosperity and then we started sleeping in shacks while some relatives sought refuge in Burundi. Others were scattered in various parts of the world,” he said.

Education journey

Kajuga says that at the time when he was growing up, education was free for every child; from primary one up to primary six. However, it was always a tag of war to be accepted into any secondary school when one was a Tutsi.

Indeed, he passed his primary leaving examinations very well but was denied the opportunity to join a government secondary school on the basis of his ethnicity.

His father, having lived under the same discriminative system, had learnt a few tricks on how to circumvent the rotten system. So, he advised him to repeat primary six so as to buy time to register for admission to a seminary. This worked because that kind of discrimination was not being practiced in seminaries.

So, in 1976, Kajuga joined Virgo Fidelis Seminary in Butare Diocese where he studied Latin and sciences.

While in Butare, Rev. Fr Boniface Musoni influenced much of his career path; counseled and guided him throughout the entire six years at the seminary. Musoni was later killed in 1990 by state agents on allegations that he was working for the liberation movement, the RPF.

Catching up with teaching

As early as 1976, Kajuga believed that the only vocation open to him was priesthood because the then leadership did not readily admit people of his ethnicity to government secondary schools, let alone university.

Since he knew that a priest is practically a teacher because of philosophy taught at the seminary, "I therefore knew that I would only become a teacher [through the seminary by studying philosophy].”

After seminary, he proceeded to study philosophy and pedagogy at St John Bosco Institute of Philosophy and Pedagogy in Lubumbashi, Zaire (now DR Congo).

He returned to Rwanda to pursue his dream in education, teaching French and literature at IFAK Kimihurura starting in the early 1980s before moving to Victoria International School in Mwanza, Tanzania where he taught till 1994.

Before going to Tanzania, he had also taught in other schools like Eto Kicukiro in 1984, IMA Kafubu in 1986-1987.

He says that for all the years he taught, the interaction with students helped him grow in mind and understand challenges faced by people, especially the less privileged and those who are socially discriminated against in society.

So, he believes that teaching is beyond earning a living; but about the satisfaction "one derives in nurturing and turning people into very important citizens.”

"I look at the current City of Kigali Mayor, Fidèle Ndayisaba, one of the students I mentored and I feel very proud. If it was money, it would be spent by now,” he said.

About education system

Kajuga believes the current education system is theoretical and therefore teaches one to pass exams, without skills. Accordingly, he suggests that education should aim at emphasizing self reliance. It should therefore be hands-on.

"I tell my children when they are going back to school that I want good marks in sports, discipline, cleanliness or smartness and other basics in life,” he says.

Indeed, as director of culture, human and social sciences at the Rwanda Commission for UNESCO, Kajuga works with schools to promote culture — especially cultural aspects that promote good living.

"Life is beyond biology and physics or even history; but the social part of it is very fundamental,” he notes.

He says that students should be given opportunity to do their own research. "When you research on something, you get a lot of expertise and that sticks in your brain.”

He says that the first challenge in the current education system is the teacher. "In the past, teachers were the pillars and custodians of morality; this does not mean that they are no longer morally upright, but the motivation has gone down a little.”

He added: "Teachers are not sent anymore for refresher courses that would enable them learn new things and add on their expertise. During our time, teachers knew all or most of the subjects, and back then a teacher was indeed a teacher. Today you find one majoring in only history but a teacher has to be knowledgeable in all subjects so that he or she can guide children in all aspects.”

He says that his understanding of education is movement from childhood to maturity; from dependency to self reliance. That is why skills development is important.

So how can a teacher use limited resources to achieve results?

Kajuga says that a teacher is the best parent, in all situations he will ensure that students study.

He recalls the year he became head teacher of Imena College, when the school had virtually nothing. There were no dormitories, classes were very few and no money to buy food for the students.

"However, we started and today most of our former students are engineers at the airport and others are very important people in districts. We started with only one textbook that was given to me by Antoine Mugesera, a former senator, and with only four teachers but if you go to Imena today, you cannot believe it. Therefore as a teacher you must first of all love your profession and other things will work out very well.”

Achievements

As a teacher, he has tried so much to extend education to all those around him and are interested in studying.

He has managed to educate all the sons and daughters of his brothers who perished in the Genocide against the Tutsi and more importantly he founded a non-governmental organisation, Groupe nos Enfants (Our children) that funds education of poor students. "We have helped many children and we teach them technical work — basically carpentry and hair dressing,” he says.

Last word

"A country with no education cannot stand. The youth today are the Rwanda of tomorrow. The reason some people carried out the Genocide, even when they had doctorate degrees, was because that is what they had been taught since childhood. Today we train students to love their country and I am very sure that it’s what they are going to do in future. Proper education is the best tool for any society.”