Itorero ry’ Igihugu for Rwandan teachers is going to be an invaluable initiative. Government and the people of Rwanda have for the last 14 years churned out one innovation after another in a struggle to rebuild their nation. Some of them have virtually been remarkable, delivering instant results and having far reaching effects on the reconstruction process.

Projects like Gacaca courts, Imihigo in local and national administrations, TIG, TOKTEN, recent land redistribution in the Eastern Province, to mention a few, have been huge hits. There is no arguing on what the latest addition to the famous collection of Rwandan innovations is: Itorero of teachers.

President Paul Kagame has led a campaign for making the right choices, changing the mindset, fighting for national dignity and working hard toward escaping from perpetual poverty. We have been urged to fight or discard the genocide ideology, strive to leave together in harmony and believe and work to attain the goals set in Vision 2020. The effort made in the direction of the above objectives and much more that we live to achieve as a nation has now got something to spur it – Itorero ry’ Abarimu.

Itorero will help primary and secondary school teachers rediscover their true value to society. It will remind them about their role in nation building, the role of laying the foundation and erecting supportive pillars. And that will restore their confidence and pride, and belief that they were not born to be the poorest. In their Itorero club, traditional virtues and values are taught, blending them with modern socio-economic development trends. The worth of working as a team and saving for the future is highly emphasized. And the President’s pledge that government will support them if they work hard will not have been lost on them.

When well in the new found position, equipped with refurbished attitudes, aiming at attractive and attainable goals, they will be able to deal the genocide ideology a blow. They will shape the young to grow into a responsible and focused citizenry. They will teach them the political dangers of vote rigging, pettiness of the Anglo and Franco affiliations, so that when they join university, they become a different type of future leaders from those currently at NUR.

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