The Genocide ideology in schools is one of the biggest challenges to unity and reconciliation process in the country.

The president of the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC), John Baptist Habyarimana said this on Friday while addressing journalists on the achievements of his commission at Hotel Novotel Umubano.

"Despite all the efforts by the commission to restore unity among citizens, there is still a problem of Genocide ideology in our children which has halted full reconciliation process,” Habyarimana said.

"Some Rwandans are still harbour genocide ideology and end up imparting it to their children, that’s why the war should not stop against the vice,” Habyarimana added.

Habyarimana said that the recent report by parliament about the cases of Genocide ideology in schools basing on the problem should be a concern to every citizen and we should all step up efforts to fight the vice in our different capacities.

He said that the commission has put up students’ associations for unity and reconciliation in all schools since they help in building unity among students and teachers.

"Where there is active unity and reconciliation clubs, teachers and students should address problems that confront their daily lives including tackling that of divisionism based on ethnicity,” he added.

Habyarimana further said that they plan to put more efforts in these clubs in all schools to enable students discuss their own problems through partcipating in debates about the vice. He added that these debates, will be a platform for students to give their ideas about what they think can be done to solve the problem of Genocide ideology in their respective schools. 

He however added that another challenge is to see how the social and economic welfare of student survivors of Genocide can be improved to restore hope in them and urged the masses to cooperate in assisting these vulnerable individuals.

NURC is responsible for the process of building unity and reconciliation among Rwandans.
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