A total of 68,560 senior six leavers from across the country yesterday started civic education (itorero), according to Boniface Rucagu, the chairman for the National Itorero Commission (NIC).

Speaking to The New Times yesterday, Rucagu said that the week-long training will be a platform to teach the young generation about good values of the national identity (ubunyarwanda) among others.

"The major focus is to cultivate patriotism and national identity among these youths.

"When good values and the Rwandan spirit are inculcated among youth, the unity of the country will also be guaranteed going forward. The unity and peace among Rwandans will also allow them to work for their development and that of the country generally,” he added.

Rucagu said that similar trainings over the past years have registered good results, where the trained youth have embraced the Rwandan culture and helped shape them into very responsible citizens and leaders,

Rucagu is optimistic that through the training, the genocide ideology among other vices will be uprooted across the country, saying that when such a big number is trained, the impact trickles down to the communities.

"In past years there were genocide ideology in schools and in the general society, but as days pass it is becoming discouraged and I hope that such sessions are playing a significant role,” he added.

According to Rucagu, the training will be conducted in 140 different sites in all districts.  

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