Rwanda
Much of Facing History's
international work has focused on supporting educators in countries coming out
of conflict. Facing History and
Ourselves has been working with teachers in Rwanda since 2003 to bring
effective education to young people regarding what it means to be a citizen in
a democracy; the kinds of citizen participation necessary to maintain
democracy; and the dangers of racism, prejudice, and apathy. In a post-conflict society, breaking the
tradition of silence around violence and oppression while finding a new
narrative for a nation is a significant challenge. In Rwanda, a formal moratorium was
placed on the teaching of history and the development of a history curriculum
following the genocide of 1994; Facing History has been introducing our
resources and methodologies as a model for development of a new curriculum. As Rwanda
continues to make progress in its development, it is essential that those in
the education system have the skills and knowledge to help young people become
engaged citizens in order to ensure this continued stability.
Using
the lessons of the Holocaust and other examples of genocide and injustice to
make connections to students' lives today, has proven effective in Rwanda.
Studying the history of another country and culture that has experienced mass
violence can give educators and students a sense of distance and perspective, a
"safe" lens through which to view their own recent past. Facing History understands that transition
from violence, conflict, and oppression is a lengthy process and we are
committed to supporting Rwanda
over the long term through strategic partnerships.
Currently,
Facing History has a grant from the United States Department of State's Bureau
of Educational and Cultural Affairs to conduct an exchange between students in Rwanda and students in Massachusetts. This exchange will focus on the development
of leadership skills. In addition to
visiting one another's countries and schools, students will create digital
media projects spotlighting examples of civic participation. Students have begun meeting one another
online in discussion forums facilitated by Facing History staff.
News
Stories
Highlights
- Facing History has served 245 educators in Rwanda since 2003. Working with our in-country partner, we are providing our proven model of professional development and follow-up.
- Seven educators, including curriculum advisors from the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC), have attended an international seminar in London during the summers of 2007 and 2008. These educators have had the opportunity to learn with educators from all over the world, finding common ground and sharing best practices.
- The former director of the NCDC and the current executive secretary of examinations attended Facing History seminars and our 2005 global symposium.
- A Kigali Institute of Education (KIE)
instructor attended the London
seminar in 2008 and has begun to integrate Facing History into courses at
KIE.
Video
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Karen Murphy Discusses Education in Rwanda |
Karen Murphy, Director of International Programs at Facing History, discusses the education system in Rwanda and Facing History's curriculum development for and training of Rwandan teachers.
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Karen Murphy Discusses the Role of the Rescuer |
Karen Murphy, Director of International Programs at Facing
History, talks about how the powerful stories of rescuers like Paul
Rusesabagina during the Rwandan Genocide teach us about making
difficult choices.
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John Rutayisire Discusses Reconciliation and Forgiveness in Rwanda |
John Rutayisire is a Rwandan educator who has
taught in Uganda , Lesotho and Botswana. Rutayisire is currently the
Director of the National Curriculum Development Centre in Rwanda, where
he leads policy development in curriculum, textbooks, language in
Education, and most recently has been appointed Chairperson of the
Teacher Development and Management Policy. In this video clip, filmed
when he attended a Facing History Summer institute in 2004, Rutayisire
talks about the complexity of reconciliation and forgiveness for
Rwandans in a post-genocide society.
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John Rutayisire on Teaching Rwandan Students Self-Reliance |
John Rutayisire is a Rwandan educator who has
taught in Uganda , Lesotho and Botswana. Rutayisire is currently the
Director of the National Curriculum Development Centre in Rwanda, where
he leads policy development in curriculum, textbooks, language in
Education, and most recently has been appointed Chairperson of the
Teacher Development and Management Policy. In this video clip,
Rutayisire talks about the importance of teaching self-reliance to
Rwandan students, based on lessons learned from their recent history. |
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John Rutayisire on the Future of Education in Rwanda |
John Rutayisire is a Rwandan educator who has
taught in Uganda , Lesotho and Botswana. Rutayisire is currently the
Director of the National Curriculum Development Centre in Rwanda, where
he leads policy development in curriculum, textbooks, language in
Education, and most recently has been appointed Chairperson of the
Teacher Development and Management Policy. In this video clip, filmed
when he attended a Facing History Summer institute in 2004, Rutayisire
talks about where education has been in Rwanda, and where it should be
heading. Seated next to Rutayisire is his colleague, Innocent Mugisha.
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John Rutayisire Talks about Gacaca |
John Rutayisire is a Rwandan educator who has
taught in Uganda , Lesotho and Botswana. Rutayisire is currently the
Director of the National Curriculum Development Centre in Rwanda, where
he leads policy development in curriculum, textbooks, language in
Education, and most recently has been appointed Chairperson of the
Teacher Development and Management Policy. In this video clip, filmed
when he attended a Facing History Summer institute in 2004, Rutayisire
gives his assessment of the effectiveness of gacaca tribunals in Rwanda. |
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John Rutayisire Talks About Teaching History in Rwanda |
John Rutayisire, Director of the National Curriculum Development Centre at the Ministry of Education in Rwanda, discusses teaching history in Rwanda with an approach that allows students to participate in discussions rather than only listening to their teachers.
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Ervin Staub Speaks About Forgiveness |
Ervin Staub is a professor of psychology at
the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and author of "The Roots of
Evil." In this video clip from a presentation at Facing History, Staub
talks about forgiveness in the context of Rwandan Hutus and Tutsis.
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Connect Four |
Students from Massachusetts and Rwanda participated in a Facing History and Ourselves student leadership program funded by the US Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. They created this digital movie based on a poem written after studying the Holocaust and the Rwandan Genocide. The film speaks about the pain, legacy and the difficult process of healing after a community has experienced the violence and hatred of genocide. |
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Imena |
Students from Massachusetts and Rwanda participated in a Facing History and Ourselves student leadership program funded by the US Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. In this film some of the students portray news reporters to report on the exchange program and what they have learned about what makes a community strong. |
