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Videos launched to help promote ‘positive discipline’ in schools
Violent discipline is meted out to some 69 percent of children between the ages of one and 14. Some of this violence occurs in the school system where bullying, aggression and other violent behaviours are glaring.
Officials and students take time out for a photo opportunity at the launch of the videos yesterday.
It has been found that where corporal punishment is accepted in the school system, there tends to be an increase in the drop-out rate.
Moreover, coping with student discipline in the classroom is said to be a concern to all administrators of education and by extension the Ministry of Education. As such, the Ministry has been giving close attention to the importance of the UNICEF Convention on the Rights of the Child international treaty, which recognises the rights of children.
This was particularly amplified yesterday when the Ministry of Education joined UNICEF to launch the world premiere of videos about ‘A story of positive discipline’ and ‘Don’t use the cane’.
Speaking at the launch at the National Cultural Centre yesterday, Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry said that “Our children advocating for discipline sets the tone for a better society…Don’t use the cane is more than just music but a teaching tool and motivator for all stakeholders.”
It is Minister Henry’s conviction that every school in Guyana is serious about nurturing children in safe, protective and friendly learning environments where each child has the right to be disciplined in a manner that respects their dignity.
Further, the Minister asserted, “Outdated forms of discipline and corporal punishment have no place in our schools moving forward. It is essential to recognise and address the challenges teachers face daily and give them the support needed to change the cultural modus-operandi of discipline in schools,” Minister Henry stated.
Ultimately, the Ministry of Education’s goal, she said, is to reverse the trend and together with all partners find and implement the right strategies that will encourage the nation’s children to be excited about school and to participate positively, think analytically, hopefully to make sound decisions and build their self-esteem.
After a year of activism through national debates, jungles and poster competitions, she added, “Our children advocates for positive discipline set the tone for systemic programming in positive discipline nationally. They have also been able to use music, art, research and persuasive presentations catering for multiple demographics and levels of intelligence.”
Ms. Sylvie Fouet, representative of UNICEF Guyana/Suriname and Minister Henry agreed that through a bottom-up approach to positive disciple in schools, the videos will actively engage teachers, parents and students for public sensitization among the many strategies.
In 2016, a one-year multi strategy child advocacy for positive discipline campaign in primary schools was launched through the use of various forums moving beyond the class room setting to music and video production with help of key stakeholders such as vision sounds. The results are to be seen via dissemination moving forward to encourage buy-in and ownership of the programme.
The hope is that the efforts thus far can serve as a motivator for everyone to want to be involved in what shows a great promise for the children and the education system in Guyana.
Fouet posited that a child friendly environment, respectful relationships among children, teachers, and parents will bring about positive learning and increase results for children.
She admonished, “If we are to change the situation for children, we must do so with children and as such the partnership with the Minister of Education and team in nurturing an approach that promotes respect, caring interactions among children, parents and teachers resulting in a joint effort to promote ‘positive discipline’ in a model, which focuses on positive points of behaviour.”
The production of the videos resulted from more than a year of working together with children to stimulate their creative nature to research and promote the benefits of ‘positive discipline’.
“… There are 209 teachers who are already using positive discipline and engaging parents-children in 180 classrooms from grades one – six. The results yielded are the establishment of positive discipline committees including members from the community,” said Fouet.
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