Getting children back in school

Mar 01, 2016 Editorial, Features / Columnists

Some of the things happening now to keep children in school cannot be gainsaid. In the first instance, most of us believe that the rising crime rate is due to children forsaking school, not necessarily to pursue criminal activity, but because they find mere attending school to be a chore. For all the talk by the politicians of a growing economy, it would seem that the numbers of the poor are increasing by the day.
Perhaps because more homes are headed by single-parent women, the children are being denied some of the social things that would make them rounded personalities. A father in the home often provides stability for their growing sons; he is the check and balance. At the same time, he provides a measure of financial stability.
But over the past two or three decades, the family unit as we know it underwent radical change. Women were opting to raise their families in the absence of a husband, who might have been more of a burden than a help. And in this male-oriented world, women rarely get the same pay as men for the same job; the result is that the woman must do the same thing in the home with less.
Within the past few years, many mothers complained about finding the wherewithal to send their children to school. Sometimes it is a question of giving the child something to eat while in school. In other cases, it is simply difficult to get the children to school. Soon school becomes anathema. The child has no interest.
Before one knows it, the male child has grown to a size where the mother is physically incapable of controlling him. Relatives say that they are grappling with their own problems, and therefore cannot spare the time to add another person’s burdens to theirs.
Even girls manage to become recalcitrant. Some of them, reacting to raging hormones, do things that would at one time be unthinkable. They too, having been left to their own devices, soon forget about attending school. The streets and communities are filled with uneducated but hostile young men and women.
Within a few short months, the David Granger administration set about correcting the situation. At least it has begun to take away the complaint that parents can no longer send their children to school. In the riverain communities it has provided boats. The effect of this is immediate; schools in the riverain communities are reporting increased attendance.
In the coastal communities children have been provided with bicycles so the burden of getting to school is reduced. However, there is a limit to the number of bicycles the government can provide to school children at this time. So there are now buses that afford travel over longer distances.
These buses have been handed over to the government over time. Again, they have contributed significantly to children being kept in schools. But even this programme by the Granger administration must be supported. The teachers must be prepared to really work with these children.
In the past there have been some horror stories, of teachers calling children dunces and refusing to teach them. The result is that the teacher allowed the children to do pretty much as they pleased, thus making a mockery of the efforts of the Granger administration.
It is perhaps fortunate that even as the Granger administration is pursuing efforts to get the children in school and to keep them there, the police have a vibrant movement to engage children and young people. This relationship seems to be working well, because fewer young people are gravitating to criminal activities. At the same time they go to school and seek to train others.
The benefits of getting children back in school are many. And in the final analysis this could be the solution to Guyana’s chronic economic woes.

Latest News

Getting children back in school

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

GBBFF boss reflects on milestones and leadership transition

National stars shine in GCF End of Year Chess...

Two more young cricketers benefit from Project...

Tonight: Sparta Boss goes up against Bent Street...

Botafgo pummel Milerock, 11-7, to become new UDFA...

BCB player transfer window opens for 2025

Features/Columnists

Democracy thrives on dissent and plurality

Breaking the Chains of Poverty: A need for political will

In the spirit of Christmas: from me to Excellency Ali

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Getting children back in school

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]