EASTERN PROVINCE

NGOMA — Head teachers in Ngoma district have vowed to improve on the performance of students in this year’s national exams and fight genocide ideologies.

They made the vows on Tuesday during the signing of this year’s performance contracts with the district Mayor Francois Niyotwagira at the district.

The head teachers also promised to form anti AIDS clubs to fight the scourge in schools.

Other commitments will include advocating for girls’ rights, start school cultural groups (Itorero) and improving ICT.

In his remarks Niyotwagira stressed two things; genocide Ideology and improving on students’ performance as the key factors that needed emphasis.

"It’s good we have not heard this problem (genocide Ideology) in our schools but you should remember that there are new students mostly in senior one and four from other schools whose habit you don’t know," Niyotwagira said.

He added: "You will not achieve all your targets in this year’s performance contracts if you still hold genocide Ideologies in schools."

He advised the head teachers to erect signposts in their school compounds with words that call for unity and reconciliation among Rwandans. He explained that this was one of the methods to tackle divisions in schools which were recommended by the district council recently.

Niyotwagira further advised the group to introduce new teaching methods to improve students’ performance. "The district performed poorly last year most especially in senior three. This should change this year," he said.

"The poor performance of students is either because of poor teachers or teachers don’t do what they are supposed to do."

The performance of senior three candidates declined by 2.8% from 29.3% in 2006 to 26.5% last year.

He urged the head teachers to stick to the contracts and to create a conducive environment at school to facilitate learning.

Also speaking at the ceremony were Jean Batista Bizimungu the district executive secretary and Victor Jemadari the district director of schools.

Bizimungu urged the group to promote a reading culture among students that he blamed for poor performance.

"There is nothing that will stop us from performing better if all you have presented here is implemented," Jemadari said.

Ends