NORTHERN PROVINCE

GICUMBI - Secondary School students preparing to sit for the national advanced and ordinary level certificate of education in Gicumbi District are undertaking civic education lessons alongside preparing for their national exams, during this second term holidays.

The civic education and national examination preparations, which will last for 13 days were officially kick started by the Minister of Cabinet Affairs Dr.Charles Murigande on monday at Byumba’s Groupe Scolaire Notre Dame du Bon conseil.

National examination preparations and civic education lessons are being carried out by Secondary school teachers hailing from the entire district in close conjunction with other officials.

Mayor Bonane Nyangezi told  The New Times that the civic education and preparation for national examination campaigns is the district’s initiative to uplift the Secondary school national examination performance in the entire district.

"This campaign is part of the district’s performance contracts since 2006”, said Nyangezi.

The Gicumbi district director of education Deogratius Mwanafunzi said a total of eight sites in the entire district shall carry out the civic education and preparation of national examinations exercise.

"The sites include Secondary schools of APAPEB, Bon Conseil, De la Salle, Mulindi, Kageyo, Rwesero minor seminary, Cyuru and Gihembe Refugee camp”, said Mwanafunzi.

He further said Gicumbi district shall foot feeding expenses for all students engaged in the programme.

The headmistress of Groupe Scolaire Notre Dame du Bon Conseil Annonciata Mukaminega hailed the civic education and national examination initiative, saying it is the only way to improve examination performance and built a hard working and responsible Rwandan Society.

"There are 667 advanced and ordinary level students carrying out the civic education and national examination preparations at Groupe Scolaire Notre Dame du Bon Conseil alone”, she said.

On his part, the headmaster of APAPEB Secondary school Jean d’Amour Uwiligiyimana said the civic education carried out during school holidays will help to cement unity and reconciliation among Rwandan youth, from different parts of the country.

"It is the only way to cement love, unity and reconciliation among Rwandans”, said Uwiligiyimana.

He further said that the national examination preparation lessons are carried out during the morning hours, while civic education takes place in the afternoon hours.

Sources from the Gicumbi district education directorate further said Minister Charles Murigande is expected to deliver a lecture on the role of East Africa Community (EAC) towards economic development, to students at Groupe Scolaire Notre Dame du Bon Conseil site before its conclusion.

Ends