Re: Freedom of students on their conscience and religion
Reference is made to the letter from the “Organisation Réligieuse des Témoins de Jéhova” dated 08/08/2022 to the Ministry of Education claiming that since 2018 until to date, Fifty Nine
(59) students who are Jehovah’s Witnesses were dismissed from different schools for not
attending religion services of other faiths.
Pursuant to the Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda of 2003 revised in 2015, provides in Articles 20 and 37 respectively that; Every Rwandan has the right to education. Freedom of thought, conscience, religion, worship and public manifestation thereof is guaranteed by the State in
accordance with the law.
The Law determining the organization of Education provides that: A person who makes a child not to attend class for no sound reason, or who contributes to the child’s school dropout; commits a fault and is liable to an administrative sanction.
In view of the above, I am pleased to remind and request you to remind all schools in your territorial jurisdiction that, no student must be dismissed from school due to his or her thought, conscience, religion or worship as rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Therefore, the management of schools
must stop such malpractices and readmit the dismissed students.
Sincerely,
