The State Minister in charge of Primary and Secondary Education, Isaac Munyakazi, has warned teachers against acts that humiliate students in an attempt to the “send the message home”. Muraho neza #RwoT! Akabazo kamatsiko: Ireme ryuburezi ryaba ryarapfiriye mu misatsi yabana bacu ku buryo kubakoza isoni bene aka kageni aribyo bizazana igisubizo? This is unacceptable!!! @REBRwanda @Rwanda_Edu pic.twitter.com/l7pzRzFrRF — Lion Imanzi (@LionImanzi) September 24, 2019 Munyakazi was reacting to a social media uproar following a posting on Twitter earlier this week by local media personality, Lion Imanzi, of his seven-year-old son whose head was partly shaved at school ostensibly on disciplinary grounds. The school claimed that it was observing that it called ‘Hygiene Week’ and all pupils were expected to go to school with clean haircuts. “It is wrong to humiliate a child in front of their peers, whether at school or at home,” Munyakazi told this newspaper on Wednesday. He, however, stressed that every student should duly respect rules and regulations of their respective schools, whether it’s about discipline, hygiene, dress code, or otherwise. Imanzi told The New Times Wednesday that schools should communicate and work hand-in-hand with parents on students’ discipline. “We usually receive calls and letters for school fees, meetings, and other events. So shouldn’t it be the same regarding our children’s behaviour?” he wondered. Contacted for a comment, Maurice Twahirwa a parent and a teacher at the same time, said schools should understand that not every policy will necessarily contribute toward quality of education. He said that instead of shaming students in any way, youngsters should be sensitised on why such policies were put in place in the first place. “I believe that students should sensitised on why some policies are put in place, then maybe they can learn to abide by them willingly even without the school having to take punitive measures,” Twahirwa said. Adelaide Dusabeyezu, the Head Teacher of APACOPE Primary and Secondary School in Muhima, Nyarugenge District, said that in the event that a schoolchild breaks the rules the school should engage them respectfully and their parents as well. “There are different things you can do before punishing the child, for instance talking to them, explaining to them about the benefits of what you want them to do,” he said, adding that when this engagement is consistent students will appreciate the objective and adjust accordingly. If a punitive measure must be taken, he said, schools should always punish students in a way that is commensurate with the mistake committed.
