GIS competition winners go to summer camp

6th December 2009 Asiimwe Godfrey

The second GIS summer camp was attended by two of our students, who successfully won a national competition. Tuyisenge Claude and Asiimwe Godfrey, students in Senior Five, went to the training organised by ESRI Germany, the Centre of GIS from the National University of Rwanda and by the Ministry of Education. The camp took place at the end of November, on Lake Muhazi, where students explored environmental issues by gathering data and analysing it through the GIS technology.

Cultivating our school land

26th October 2009 Ssemakula Julius

Over the course of this term, our Gender Club has been focussing their energy on an agricultural project, raising awareness about the importance of nutrition for the club members and other students. We are growing seeds by making a nursery bed, mulching, irrigating, digging and weeding, in order to harvest our crops. We are growing vegetables like carrots, onions, aubergine, cauliflower and celery. Our garden is being created by both boys and girls who have woken up early in order to cultivate the land. After harvesting we hope to sell what we have grown locally and get an income for funding other projects in the club, but also our students will benefit from the produce by supplementing their usual diet with the vegetables.

Nyagatare Secondary School premiere William Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' in Rwanda

24th October 2009 Rutagengwa Ronald

For the first time in Rwanda's history, our school took part in Shakespeare International Festival with other schools in countries from all over the world. This is an annual festival that remembers the writing of the famous playwright William Shakespeare. As a member of the cast, playing Benvolio, I travelled with my fellow students on Friday 23^rd October to The British Embassy in Kigali, to perform the famous 'Romeo and Juliet'.

During September and October we spent all of our free time outside of lessons, preparing our interpretation of the famous love story, learning how to understand the very old English language and how to act our characters. It was hard to learn the English which was used in the sixteenth century, and also performing theatre was something we were not used to. It was very challenging to learn the lines, but we managed to memorise them with no problem. In the end we were excited to show our work in Kigali.

At the prestigious event, we were watched by our friends and families, teachers and students and officials from the government. By studying the play 'Romeo and Juliet', we learnt about the importance of love and the tragic effects of hate. It also taught us the importance of living in unity with other people. The most enjoyable thing was having the chance to perform in Kigali, and afterwards we had tasty brochettes! Unfortunately, halfway through it rained, but this didn't stop us from performing!

Many people didn't know who Shakespeare was, but some people had seen the 'Romeo and Juliet' film, and enjoyed watching our interpretation. At the first rehearsal we did not think that we would be able to succeed in performing the play in Kigali, but after two months we were ready, and despite having to learn the lines, continue with our studies, and prepare for our end of year exams we still performed well. We were congratulated by everyone who attended.

The candidates' party!

19^th September 2009 Mwesigye David 

Nyagatare Secondary School once again celebrated its annual Candidates' Party on the 18^th September, the much anticipated event that takes place at the end of every school year.  As usual, the celebration took place in Dining Hall, where students met and performed dancing, martial arts, singing and speeches were given to the crowded audience of parents and students.

There was a lot of preparation before the action. As well as cleaning and decorating the hall, students also spent time preparing their smart clothing and tidying up the school compound. A committee was formed with students representing Senior Three and Senior Six, and they planned the food and drink as well organised the tickets. The evening before the party, strong students in Senior Three slaughtered two bulls, to be accompanied by Irish potatoes at the party.

The party started with a demonstration of interactive software in the computer laboratory and practical science experiments in the biology and chemistry laboratories, including a special experiment for testing for starch, which impressed the parents and visitors. The official ceremony in the Dining Hall started with the National Anthem, and was followed by important speeches from the Headmaster, the Chairperson of the Parents' Association, a member of the local community as well as teachers.

Then, as well as the many awards given to candidate students for academics, discipline, sport, leadership and hygiene, this year the greatest award for students was introduced to the school, the 'Rwigema Olivier Award', and was given to Buzare Wilson in 3A.

This prestigious award is in loving memory of Rwigema Olivier, a unique student in Senior Three, who tragically died in a motorcycle accident in Nsheke on 12^th August 2009. The award will now be given out annually to a student in Senior Three who has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to their studies, has achieved academically, is self-disciplined, motivated and reliable, is caring and supportive to their peers, is respected as a leader and who is well-presented and smart. These were the qualities that Rwigema had as a student, and the Headmaster and staff felt it was important to remember him.

After the speeches, candidates took their parents and other visitors into the compound to take photographs and receive gifts to recognise their work in school during their studies. The guests then left in the early evening, but the students continued to party in the Boom, eating and dancing into the night. The big clean-up started early the next morning!

Transforming our library: The Solar System

11^th September 2009 Gwaneza Wivine

In the second term of this academic year there was a drawing competition for O Level students, to create a design for a wall in our school, showing the landscape of Rwanda, Rwandan culture and something to represent our school. Many students entered their designs, but only eight students' pictures were chosen by the Headmaster and these students were set the challenge of designing a mural for the back wall in the library.

At the beginning of the third term the eight winning artists met to create plans for the wall, and chose to focus on the solar system, which would use lots of colour and be relevant to our science specialism. For two days the students worked together to plan their design, prepare and prime the wall, and then draw and paint their ideas on the library wall. Students learnt how to use scaling to transfer their design from paper to the wall, colour mixing to make the different colours of the planets from just red, blue and yellow paint, and developed their drawing skills.

The finished piece of art and science was very impressive, and changed the appearance. Therefore, we also changed the design and layout of the library to make it more accessible to students in the school. It is now a much brighter place to learn.

All of the artists were awarded a certificate by the Headmaster for their hard work and creativity.

Nyagatare District Volleyball Winners

8th July 2009 Asiimwe Godfrey

Our volleyball teams have been competing against other schools in the district since the beginning of the year. At the finals, the Boys Team triumphed against GS Tabagwe and the Girls Team stormed GS Gacundezi. Both of our teams are now district winners and will compete with other districts in the Eastern Province, to find the Provincial winners.

Bisesero: A Journey in Remembrance

6^th June 2009 Kendunga Allen

On 6^th June 2009, Nyagatare Secondary School set out on a journey to Bisesero Kibuye, in the Western Province of Rwanda, to visit the Genocide memorial site. This was to encourage our students to understand what took place in 1994 and to avoid genocide ideology.

The journey started at 5 o'clock in the morning and by 9 o'clock we had reached Kigali, we stopped momentarily before heading to the west of the country. On the way to Kibuye we passed through many villages and over the river Nyabarungo. We followed the roads through the high mountains and valleys, and our driver negotiated the very sharp corners. As we approached Lake Kivu students were excited to see the small islands and surrounding water. Students were relieved when we reached Bisesero ten hours after we had started our journey.

Despite students' hunger and fatigue upon our arrival, we set our thoughts on what we were about to learn and remember. We waited for a short time outside the memorial site, before a witness of the genocide, Kayigamba, joined us to share his experience. He guided us around the site, and explained the significance of each feature.

As we entered through the gate, we saw a large stone surrounded by spears. In 1994, the people of Bisesero were united together and had been organised by elders who had decided that they would never give up and be parted from their families and friends. They defended themselves using stones and spears to fight against the perpetrator. We then walked through a large tin-roofed building, which was full of skulls and bones of people who had been killed during the Genocide.

Our journey continued and we began to climb the very steep hillside, heading towards the burial ground and graves of those who were lost in 1994.

When we reached the graves we were silent for some time, remembering loved ones whose bodies were buried in front of us. We all began to shiver as a chilling breeze swept through our group, causing us to contemplate the brutal killings of those we were remembering. As we stood on the very cold hillside, Kayigamba told his story.

The people of Bisesero were known as defenders and fighters, and Tutsis from all over the country in 1994 would flee to this area seeking refuge with their fellow people. Many were killed on their way because the whole country was flowing with blood. Sadly, the people of Bisesero were fighting the people who had support from the government and those who had been trained to kill. The Tutsis did not know how to use guns as they had not been allowed to join the military forces, like the police or army, as they were occupied by the Hutus.

The people could defend themselves, most of them were slowly being killed, and those remaining stood strong and continued to fight, as they had no means of escape. At this time, twenty-eight young men were made to swim Lake Kivu, but none of them survived. When the militia groups struggled to defeat the Tutsis in Bisesero, their leaders asked for more support from the government. They were sent hundreds and hundreds of soldiers, who stormed Bisesero killing the Tutsis including their newly-borns.

The last Tutsis were surrounded by enemies, but still managed to kill seven soldiers and take their guns, even though they had no idea how to use them. They were eventually killed, some had escaped, like our witness, but at least fifty-thousand people had lost their lives. When the country heard that the people of the Bisesero had been defeated, there were many celebrations.

As Kayigamba ended his narrative, some school representatives laid a wreath of flowers, and the Headmaster acknowledged our appreciation for having the opportunity to see and hear about Bisesero. Then the Parent Teacher Association Chairperson gave the site a donation as a token of our gratitude. It was then time to eat, share our thoughts and begin our long journey back to Nyagatare.

On the way back to school the students commented on the unity and togetherness that the people of Bisesero had, and we began to wonder how a stone could fight a gun - admiring the strength of the people at that time.

'Youth and adult literacy and life long learning'...Students speak out

31^st May 2009 Buzare Wilson

On Sunday 31^st May three students travelled to Ngoma District in the Eastern Province to represent the school at the 2009 Global Campaign for Education event for Rwanda. Senior Three students Bizimana Josiane, Buzare Wilson and Cyankoni Godfrey were joined by children from local schools including Les Hirondelles Primary, Aspek and G.S Muhamvu. The students of Les Hirondelles performed a piece of theatre with very impressive English. Officials like the president of the Global Campaign for Education, the Executive Secretary of Ngoma District and organisations from the National Coalition for Education in Rwanda like CONCERN and VSO, were all present.

The theme of this year's campaign was to fight illiteracy by encouraging the education of both adults and young people. The Global Campaign for Education describes literacy as being about "the acquisition and use of reading, writing and numeracy skills, and thereby the development of active citizenship, improved health and livelihoods, and gender equality". The schools that participated explored this idea in many different ways by using theatre, poems and stories.

Students in Nyagatare Secondary School used the 'The Big Read' in their English lessons, a book made up of short stories from some of the world's most influential figures all about how education can change the world as we know it. After exploring these stories students created their own stories and three students were chosen to share these in Ngoma.

The three students were commended by the organisers for their original and interesting stories. To read the stories in Kinyarwanda and English click here.

'Road of Life' Salon Opens for Business

14^th May 2009 Uwera Jovith

Nyagatare Secondary School's Anti-AIDS Club launched their income-generating project, which involved establishing a hairdressing salon for students to use. The club has been supported by VSO's PHARE (Prevention of HIV and AIDS in Rwanda through Education) project, which developed the club's meetings, activities and encouraged their participation in country-wide competitions. The club were given a small grant to allow them to now work independently, and it was decided that one of the best sources of income would be from cutting hair. The Anti-AIDS Club will use the profits from the salon to pay for transport to visit neighbouring primary schools and raise awareness of HIV and AIDS. The club will also visit people in the community living with HIV, and support those suffering from the effects of HIV and AIDS in Nyagatare hospital.