Kigali — As thousands of primary and secondary level students start the new study term, teachers have to be on the look out for any cases of Genocide revisionism in their classes as part of a concerted effort to curb the problem, Education Minister said on Monday.

Dr. Jean d'Arc Mujawamariya said headteachers have to come up with policies that ensure students do respect each other. The teachers as well themselves need to be good examples to the students if the bitter sentiments recently reported among students are to be ended, she said.

January 07 is start of the school year in Rwanda with thousands students heading for their schools after a two month break for the festive season holiday.

Last month, a parliamentary commission anearthed a scathing findings of what has come to be known as 'Genocide ideology' in schools across the country. The lawmakers found that teachers and students in some schools were involved in cases of Genocide revisionism - that was seen in several forms.

In some cases, students abused survivors of the Genocide or simply wrote tracts to them. In others some teachers were reported to be identifying students along ethnic distinctions. The lawmakers singled out about 15 schools and recommended that some are closed.

The Minister herself was later summoned by Parliament to a session that would become a very heated on as the lawmakers blamed her for not doing enough to counter the situation.

The teachers that were named in the parliamentary investigatio have since been relieved of their teaching duties and cited students sent home - meaning they may have to wait a little while to start school if any is to accept them.

Meanwhile, despite calls from the Education Ministry that schools need to consult parents to effect any tuition fee increases, reports indicate that some schools have more than doubled the fees.

In a typical case, just a week to start of school, Sunrise Academy in Northern Rwanda almost doubled tuition fees from about Rwf 75.000 ($140) to up to Rwf. 120.000 for the primary level. As for the secondary section, the fees were moved to Rwf. 220.000 ($400).

Sunrise Academy was established by episcople Bishop John Rucyahana as a study centre of excelence comprising orphans whose tuition is paid by a large network of sponsors in North America and Europe, and those privately sponsored by their parents.

RNA has not been able to get into contact with the schools authorities but according to some parents, the school management says it wants to raise the standards of the school from the additional funding. The school was actually opened by President paul Kagame (END).