TEACHERS play a leading role in transforming of society within conflict and post -conflict countries.

"When teachers are well trained, they help in reconciling the society through educating people on moral values,” said a visiting Prof. Seiji Utsumi of Osaka University, Japan during a four-day seminar on educational reconstruction and development held at Hotel Alpha Palace this week.

The participants highlighted solutions to the problems affecting education within conflict or post conflict countries as; training teachers in psycho social trauma and counseling, so as to enable teachers in handling cases of traumatized.

The seminar was sponsored by Japan International cooperation agency (JICA), in group effort with the Ministry of education in Rwanda.

The seminar drew participants from nine countries which include; Uganda, Kenya, Southern Sudan and Northern Sudan. Other countries are Eritrea, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Angola and Japan. 

Utsumi lauded education system in Rwanda, saying the government had considered education as its first priority. 

The visiting Prof. told the participants that the next seminar will be held in Osaka Japan next February.

If you don’t share the knowledge you have acquired from this seminar, it will not be as fruitful as intended, Utsumi said.

Tatsumi Iwao, Resident representative of Japan international cooperation agency Rwanda office hailed the efforts the government has put in the general developmental activities and education in particular. 

He added: "Apart from organizing such seminar there are other fields where JICA is to support Rwanda, such as the ICT infrastructure at Tumba, in the Northern Province”.

In his closing remarks, the director of planning in the Ministry of education Claver Yisa thanked Japan international cooperation agency for having organized the seminar.

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