Unit 1: Concept of Competence-Based Curriculum

Genocide Studies

Genocide Studies provides learners with an understanding of the circumstances which lead to genocide and those which led to the 1994 genocide against Tutsis.  It also provides an understanding of the circumstances that led to the remarkable story of recovery and establishment of reconciliation, social cohesion and national unity in Rwanda. Genocide Studies helps learners to comprehend the role of every individual in ensuring that genocide never happens again. This has a strong relationship with peace and values education.

Social Studies,

History and Citizenship,

General Studies,

Religious Education (RE)

ICT,

Music.

The methodological approach to the teaching and learning of Genocide Studies and Peace Education can be summarized as follows: Use of testimonies from genocide survivors, genocide victims rescuers, genocide eyewitnesses and other bystanders as well as peace builders translated into stories (live testimony recounting and storytelling approach) that can be consigned into a mobile exhibition; accessing both online and offline archived data from primary sources; making use of research based documents that address peace building issues and support social cohesion; 

Facilitation of a participatory and interactive learner-centered approach to teaching and learning using a variety of resources to support the learning of peace building specific information, concepts, skills, and attitudes in an integrated manner.

For more information please visit online and offline archived data from primary sources (audiovisual testimonies from online platforms such as;

the Genocide Archive of Rwanda – (GAR)

and this GAR Interactive Map as well as

IWitness

Environment and sustainability

Environment may be broadly understood to mean our surroundings. It can be divided into non-living and living components. The environment provides resources which support life on the earth and which also help in the growth of a relationship of interchange between living organisms and the environment in which they live. It is important to realize that humans enjoy a unique position in nature due to their exceptional ability to influence and mould the environment.

Science   and Elementary Technology (SET),

Social Studies,

Geography,

Biology,

Physics,

Chemistry,

General Studies,

Agriculture,

Home Science,

English,

French,

Kinyarwanda,

Kiswahili,

Entrepreneurship,

Art and Craft,

Economics,

ICT,

Music,

Physical Education (PE).

a) Creation of curiosity of the learners to provoke them to ask “why?”.

b) Field trips. Outdoor activities allow learners to have direct contact with the environment. This helps learners to learn to observe, investigate and appreciate important environmental concepts. 

c) Co-curricular activities. Education for sustainable development can have a niche at schools through different clubs operating by themselves and under teachers’ patronage: Environment clubs, Hygiene and health club.

d) Involvement of and feedback for local communities. Environment and sustainability is not an issue of one person but a combined effort of different stakeholders within the community; it is therefore the concern of every adult and child; Education for sustainable development is one of modern themes in lifelong learning.

e) Developing a school strategy. All learners need to acquire the necessary skills, knowledge base, values and attitudes to be active global citizens in creating a sustainable society. Head teachers should be truly concerned if they want teachers and learners to be actively involved in promoting Education for sustainable development. Familiarizing teachers of all subject areas with updated information on world emerging issues with special consideration of their local environment, e.g. water management issues.

Gender 

Gender refers to the sociocultural definition of man and woman; the way societies distinguish men and women and assign them social roles. It entails the behaviours and attitudes which are culturally accepted as appropriate ways of being a woman (femininity) and ways of being a man (masculinity). The sex of a person is biologically determined, whereas ways of being a man or a woman are learned: they are constructed, reinforced, maintained and reconstructed over time through social and cultural practices. 

Social     Studies,

History and Citizenship,

General Studies,

English,

French,

Kinyarwanda,

Kiswahili,

Entrepreneurship,

Economics,

Literature in English,

ICT,

Music,

PE,

Physics.

The teacher should put into consideration the following elements: 

Understanding the difference between gender and sex at all times balancing female-male roles: this may be in the form of  allocating tasks to girls and boys together or interchangeably. 

Asserting female roles: it is important that teachers work on creating female role models, e.g. showing women in occupations like being a doctor, giving examples of female scientists, important women in history.

Avoid gender biased language and images, e.g. use he/she or the plural pronouns, gender - aware plays and poems.

Building learners’ self-esteem. 

Giving gender - balanced examples in all the interactions between teachers and learners.

Comprehensive Sexuality Education (HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Illness, Family planning; Reproductive Health)

Comprehensive sexuality education(CSE) is defined as an age-appropriate, culturally relevant approach to teaching about sex and relationships by providing scientifically accurate, realistic and nonjudgmental information. The primary goal of comprehensive sexuality education curriculum is to equip children, adolescents and young people with the knowledge, skills and values in culturally and gender sensitive manner so as to enable them to make responsible choices about their sexual and social relationships, explain and clarify feelings, values and attitudes, promote and sustain risk-reducing behaviour. CSE needs to start early and involve parents and the community. The national school health policy recommends that learners should be taught comprehensive sexuality education.

SET,

Social Studies,

History and Citizenship,

Biology,

General Studies,

English,

French,

Kinyarwanda,

Kiswahili,

RE,

ICT,

Music,

PE

CSE requires child centred and experiential learning methodologies to allow children to acquire lifelong skills and competences to be applied in life

Teachers should explore all social norms including peer norms and factors related to sexuality in order to address them through discussions and provide accurate information.

Teachers should consider views from learners about their sexual life and reproductive health, as opportunities to build on in discussion. 

Teachers should assist children and young people to establish goals and make decisions related to parenthood and to encourage them to achieve their goals.

Religion, culture and media influence learners’ attitudes and behaviour. The teacher has to engage learners to take advantage of them and take informed decision for their positive life. 

CSE supports a rights-based approach in which values such as honesty, respect, acceptance, tolerance, equality, empathy and reciprocity among others are promoted and linked to human rights; so a teacher has to be role model in words and actions to promote those values.

A teacher has to avoid harassment, any kind of gender-based violence like sexual abuse and “bad touches”. 

Teachers have to organize co-curricular activities to encourage adolescents and youth where they can openly ask questions, address concerns engaging their parents who can lead to behaviour change and an improved attitude towards their own health. 

The school will promote partnership with nearby health facilities for learners to get access to further guidance and seek services they need. 

Financial Education

It is a planned program of study that aims to equip young people with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to manage their money well.  It will build a strong foundation among the learners for responsible money management by developing good planning and saving habits and prepare them for life, such as managing their own finances.

Mathematics,

Economics, Entrepreneurship,

General Studies,

Social studies,

ICT,

Pre- primary

In order to ensure that financial education is covered, and these learning objectives are met, teachers will need to develop and engage learners in learning activities that promote good planning and saving habits.

Teachers should be alert to financial education opportunities that have not been specifically written into the curriculum.

Making links as they arise in the classroom shows to the learners how important managing money is to all life.

In all cases, teachers are not restricted to the activities identified, but are invited to think of other learner-centred approaches which will make both financial education and the ‘Host’ subject applicable to their lives and help them to successfully achieve the outcomes.  

It is always good to do practical activities and, where possible, handle real money /real material in the classroom. When discussing money, there are often no ‘right’ answers and teachers must be sensitive to learners who come from families that have only limited resources.