Integration of genocide studies in Rwandan secondary schools: challenges and strategies for enhanced educational impact

This study explored challenges faced by secondary school teachers in the integration of genocide studies into their lessons and strategies for its effective integration. It used a qualitative research approach and employed face-to-face individual semi-structured interviews to collect data among 23 purposively selected secondary school teachers of the six schools from the three provinces of Rwanda namely the Eastern, Northern and Western provinces. The data collected was thematically analyzed. The study revealed key challenges faced by teachers namely (i) emotional and ethical challenges arising from the sensitive nature of the topic and personal connections to the genocide, (ii) subject-specific challenges in non-humanities subjects; (iii) content pedagogical knowledge and (iv) practical issues, including lack of resources and time constraints. To address these challenges, teachers suggest strategies, including among others, (i) teaching genocide in the local language, Kinyarwanda, to enhance comprehension, (ii) increasing resources for study tours to genocide sites, (iii) gradually introducing the topic to students, (iv) providing specialized professional development and (v) encouraging collaborative learning among teachers. Ultimately, integrating genocide studies in a meaningful and impactful way requires a holistic approach that acknowledges the complexities of the issue while empowering students to engage with the Rwanda’s painful history constructively.