Edutainment Symposia: Artistes must be taken seriously – participants

Aug 24, 2008 News

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Carifesta X continued to unfold yesterday in Guyana. An ‘Edutainment Symposia’ was held with the aim of revitalizing the art form and seeking to establish a way to ensure its survival and respect.

The symposium, held at the International Convention Centre, Liliendaal, was staged with the collaboration of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Guyana’s Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the President’s Youth Award Republic of Guyana (PYARG).

The event was attended by scores of persons from the visiting and local delegations, and benefited from presentations by local Culture Minister Dr Frank Anthony and eminent academic and literary giant, former Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Al Creighton, among others.

Dr Anthony emphasized the importance of the event as it relates to Carifesta, especially the positive impact that it could have on regional integration.

He urged that the youth of the region use edutainment as a means of challenging the difficult issues that they face.

In illustrating his point, Dr Anthony noted the success of the use of edutainment in the drive to limit the spread of HIV/AIDS, and suggested that other challenges, such as teenage pregnancy, youth empowerment, unemployment and substance abuse, could benefit from a similar approach.

Harold Robinson, Director of the UNFPA Sub-Regional Office for the Caribbean, told the gathering that they should use the example of the young Caribbean athletes at the Beijing Olympiad as an indication of what hard work and commitment could achieve.

He added that they were a fine example of the potential that lies within Caribbean youth, and he opined that that potential cried out for inclusion in the planning and execution of programmes for attaining sustainable development in the region.

Edutainment was also underscored as important by Anil Harill, one of the creators of ‘Merundoi. “The importance stems from the fact that people learn new behaviours through attention, retention, reproduction and reinforcement, among others,” Harill noted. He added that Merundoi is a prime example of edutainment in Guyana.

The behavioural issues being addressed by Merundoi relate primarily to facets associated with HIV/AIDS, such as abstinence, monogamy/faithfulness, positive parent-and-child communication, alcohol reduction, correct and consistent condom use, adequate access to HIV and STI services, and reduction of stigma and discrimination. The story unfolds through positive, negative, and transitional characters.

“Thus edutainment is recognized as involving oral storytelling, music, television, computerized software, print, among others.”

The potential barriers to edutainment were also highlighted. These include social structure, social conflict, organizations that control information, media environment, language, and infrastructure.

Edutainment is touted as an effective way of reducing illiteracy and promoting good health, good social values and an all-around better quality of life, providing that the barriers could be overcome or controlled.

During a brief discussion period at yesterday’s symposium, it was unanimously agreed that artistes must be taken more seriously and not just as a side show, and, as such, they must be properly remunerated for their services.

The participants, in noting the importance of edutainment, agreed that similar forums should be held during the remaining days of Carifesta X, so that there could be a sharing of knowledge and ideas.

The main goal of the event was to share and discuss best practices and the way forward through edutainment, especially addressing the role and the impact that edutainment has had in the region in terms of positive behavioural change.

Following the opening session of the symposium, the participants held plenary discussions which led to the drafting of a position paper on edutainment, which is expected to be presented to the World Edutainment Conference in New Delhi, India, in 2009.

The participants then reconverged and shared their recommendations, which will be incorporated into the position paper that will be presented at the World Conference.

Among the suggestions was the inclusion of the art form in learning institutions, with the aim of instilling in them the role of the performing arts.

The participants begged for the inclusion of measures such as more research to be done before embarking on edutainment programs, the incorporation of technology in marketing, and preparations of programs.

The need for cross-generational programs was also highlighted, given the abounding gap. “Sometimes a message would be instilled on a child that the parent would frown upon.”

A host of other recommendations are also expected to be incorporated in the position paper.
Edutainment (also educational entertainment or entertainment-education) is a form of entertainment designed to educate as well as to amuse.

Most often, edutainment seeks either to tutor in one or more specific subjects, or to change behaviour by engendering specific socio-cultural attitudes.

It is also used for behaviour students in certain schools in the UK. Successful edutainment is discernible by the fact that learning becomes fun and teachers or speakers educate an audience in a manner which is both engaging and amusing.

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