EASTERN PROVINCE
 
NGOMA — Lt. Gen. Charles Kayonga, the Chief of Staff, Land Forces of the Rwanda Defense Forces (RDF) has advised teachers to exhibit virtues of self respect and discipline in order to command respect from society.

He said that teachers without certain guiding principles some times end up indulging in what they are not supposed to do.

Kayonga was recently addressing Ngoma primary and secondary teachers who were attending solidarity training that officially closed on Thursday. About 1500 teachers attended the training in Ngoma.

He said that teachers have big tasks ahead of them and fulfilling them requires them to have principles. He highlighted honest, bravery, patriotism, being exemplary to pupils they teach and the society as some of the other necessary attributes for teachers.

"As the army we are responsible for the country’s security but you as teachers are responsible for shaping brains of Rwandans which is the country’s engine,” Kayonga said.

"These values will help you raise good quality children who will be the future leaders of this country.” He advised teachers and head teachers to always convene meetings as platforms for laying their strategies.

Kayonga urged the teachers to transform their ways of thinking and actions.

"Rwanda passed through hardships of Genocide, colonialism, poor leadership, poor teachers who would teach students hatred and killings. But we should revive this,” he said.

He stressed that teachers needed to redeem the teaching profession. Many teachers participated in the Genocide and you have a challenge to revolutionize the teachings so that what happened will never happen again, he said. He explained that a revolution should be a transformation towards positive results. 

The army chief observed that competence needed from teachers requires analytical skills and to always conduct research on issues in order to give quality education.

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