From classrooms to conflict in Rwanda

Abstract

This book is one of the few published works that discusses how education may not always promote peace building in post-conflict situations, such as Rwanda. In addition, it is the first book to offer a comprehensive, longitudinal analysis of education in Rwanda, an issue of continuing importance. While this is King's first book on Rwanda, she has published many articles and book chapters on Africa, and specifically Rwanda, and is a former fellow of the Africa Initiative. As the author states (p. 1), ‘Schooling plays a key role in the country's transformation. The Rwandan government is currently investing significantly in schools and placing tremendous faith in the power of education as a tool of unity and reconciliation.’ According to King, this assumption of unity and reconciliation must be examined. While other authors have looked at post-conflict education in Rwanda, analysis has focused solely on secondary education, without an examination of historical trends in the education system. Other works have examined how ethnicity and education interact, but have not focused on a specific case. Overall, King's book is a successful presentation of the ways in which the role of education in peace building is often overlooked and simply regarded as a ‘good thing’ (p. 163), without examining the ways in which education can also foster inter-ethnic conflict.