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Culture of silencing children must be erased – Minister Fox
Minister within the Education Ministry Dr Desrey Fox said that Guyanese should erase the culture of silencing children and allow them opportunities to voice concern about issues affecting them.
Minister Fox was speaking at the launch of a programme to eradicate child labour during the observances of World Day against Child Labour.
“We come from a tradition where we encourage the silencing of our children,” the Minister lamented.
According to Dr Fox, many subjects branded by adults as “taboo for children” are more widely explored by them.
She challenged the Labour Ministry to formulate school outreach programmes where students are afforded a chance to speak out about issues of concern.
Dr Fox applauded the government for approaching child rights from various angles including violence, labour, trafficking and abuse.
“I must recognise the efforts of the Human Services Ministry that has been carrying the torch as it relates to the rights of the child,” the Minister remarked.
She said Guyanese have been breaking every rule but expressed hope that there are still persons willing to effect change.
“There are people who are willing to learn about what they are doing wrong and correct it.”
Dr Fox noted that single parents of slow learners have a tendency to force such children into labour.
“If the child is not learning some parents would take them out of school and send them to work to assist with the family,” the Minister observed.
She added too that older children of large families are also forced to forego secondary and tertiary education to sustain younger siblings. Minister Fox said that Guyana has inherited a colonial-style education structure that ignores slow learners.
“Teachers have learnt to focus on only those bright students and so the others are made to feel uncomfortable in the school system,” she stated.
Dr Fox remarked that when such students drop out of school, they are not to be blamed.
She stressed that slow learners may have nutritional needs, emotional problems or domestic issues affecting them.
“Nobody wants to take the opportunity to look into that to see what’s affecting that child.”
The Minister stated that parents have a huge responsibility to ensure children are not lured into exploitation.
According to her, the ministry is currently working on a programme to implement fine arts into the general school curriculum.
“We want to include skills training such as carpentry, craft, dressmaking and other fine arts which will allow students who need a multi-faceted education to benefit and also for those who may not be able to acquire the book learning,” Minister Fox disclosed.
She pointed out that the time is right for Guyana to reverse certain attitudes and revisit its socialisation.
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