Ten Commandments of God
Primary 4 · Social and Religious Studies
Ten Commandments of God
Lesson 5 of 5
13 min
At break, Gatete's team plays football with no rules. Some children pick up the ball with their hands. Others push. Nobody agrees on the score, and soon everyone is shouting. The next day, they choose a referee and agree on the rules. The game is fun again!
Just like a football match, families, schools and countries need rules to work well.
| Word | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Rule | A guide for how to behave in a family, a class, a club or a game. | At home: be back before dark. In class: raise your hand to speak. |
| Regulation | A detailed rule made by an organisation or an authority to manage something. | School regulations about uniforms and times. Market regulations about where traders may sell. |
| Law | A rule made for the whole country. Everyone must obey it, and the police and the courts make sure people do. | A moto passenger must wear a helmet. Nobody may steal or harm a child. |
Rwanda's laws are made by Parliament, which has two parts: the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. The Constitution is the highest law of all; every other law must agree with it. The police make sure people obey the laws, and the courts decide what happens to people who break them.
There can be accidents, fights and disorder. The person who breaks a rule can get a warning or extra work at school. A person who breaks a law can pay a fine or even go to prison.
Many laws protect the same things as God's commandments. "You shall not murder", "You shall not steal" and "You shall not give false testimony" are commandments, and murder, theft and lying in court are also against the law in Rwanda. Christians and Muslims are taught to be honest, to respect others and to obey good laws, so a good believer is also a good citizen.
Tip
Rules grow bigger: family rules → school regulations → the country's laws. The bigger the group, the bigger the rule-maker.
Answer: A rule guides behaviour in a family, class or group. A law is made for the whole country, and everyone must obey it.
Answer: Parliament (the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate).
Answer: The Constitution.
Answer: Any two of: order, safety, fairness, protecting rights, peace, protecting property and the environment.
Answer: Any one of: do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony.
What you learned today
Sources and credits
Written by Ganzaa.
Quick check
Rules grow bigger. Put them in order, from the smallest group to the biggest.
Tap the cards in the right order.
