The Ministry of Education has commenced training on peace education, one of the components of the newly launched schools curriculum. The trainees, teacher trainers, are being taken through the content and its objectives.

The new curriculum, that covers pre-school, primary and secondary levels, integrated peace education as a cross-cutting course into all subjects, according to Rwanda Education Board (REB) officials.

The training, which begun on Monday in Musanze District, aims at equipping trainers with a deeper understanding of content that was integrated in the revised curriculum under the facilitation of personnel from Aegis Trust.

The new component will, however, not be taught as a stand-alone subject but rather incorporated into all subjects.

The new education component is a brainchild of a peace building education initiative, Rwanda Peace Education Programme (RPEP), aims at achieving sustainable peace by building social cohesion through the promotion of values such as critical thinking and empathy.

The programme, which was launched in 2013, is implemented by a multi-partner effort led by Aegis Trust and supports school administrators and education supervisors through training opportunities to deepen their knowledge and capacity for effective and efficient contribution to peace building.

Since 2013, the programme helps promote social cohesion through different approaches such as mobile exhibitions, radio programming, art events, debates and performances as well as education and training workshops.

Commenting on the training initiative, Vicentia Nyangoma, the Acting Head of ICTs in Education Department at the Rwanda Education Board, said they would continue supporting the initiative as they have easy access to teachers.

Noting the importance of the programme, she said it ought to be extended beyond teachers and reach out to ordinary Rwandans as well.

Jean Joseph Rutaganda, a REB official, involved with the curriculum development, called on the teachers to fully utilise the new component of the curriculum in the execution of their duties.

"As a person working in the curriculum department with REB, I find this programme very important. Its content is very well designed and gives the right information. What is necessary is to expand the programme so that it reaches more teachers,” Rutaganda said.

Urging them to make it a priority area in the coming days, Gerard Rutari, an education inspector with the City of Kigali, noted that the programme was timely and provided an avenue to engage learners on issues surrounding peace.

‘‘You have the will, so find the capacity as well, to make the message reach most Rwandans,” Rutari said.

The new curriculum will be rolled out in January next year, beginning with kindergarten, Primary One and Four, as well as Senior One and Four.

According to education officials, the implementation of the new curriculum will be progressive, spanning three years, from 2016, with subsequent adjustments in national examinations due in 2011.

Education stakeholders are currently involved in developing pedagogical material with teacher training set to get underway soon.

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