Teachers as agents of change: promoting peacebuilding and social cohesion in schools in Rwanda

Abstract

Education is seen to play a crucial role in the reconstruction of post-conflict countries, particularly in transforming people’s mindsets and rebuilding social relations. In this regard, teachers are often perceived as key agents to bring about this transformative change through their role as agents of peace. This paper seeks to understand how teachers are positioned to promote peacebuilding and social cohesion in Rwandan schools in the aftermath of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. This work is part of ‘Engaging teachers in peacebuilding in postconflict contexts: evaluating education interventions’ project supported by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the UK Department for International Development