Education Ministry’s Pacific Reader must be sensitive to groups

Feb 04, 2022 Letters

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Dear Editor,

I write in response to the report about the Guyana Pacific (Atlantic) Reader that was published to help youngsters with reading. I laud the effort of the Ministry of Education (the staff and Minister) for attempting to publish a book on reading to help kids master the art of reading. But there are adverse reactions to the book on social media as well in the Guyana papers claiming that it marginalises sections (ethnic groups) of the society. It brings back memories of a failed education policy during the dictatorship that marginalised and discriminated against ethnic groups. I do not think it is/was the intention of the writers and or editors of the Reader or the Ministry to marginalise any group or under-represent any culture.
During the period when I went to government school right after independence, an alien ‘culture’ was foisted on students who could not relate to it. Imperial British or white culture was considered great during colonial period, and we were forced to imbibe it. British culture was replaced with a dominant creole culture (from the Caribbean Readers) of the group that ran the government immediately after independence, and we were forced to imbibe it. Indian culture was marginalised. Going by books, one would not go where Indians live in Guyana. Creole culture was considered best for the country although it led to alienation and marginalisation of Indians and native Amerindians, both of whom rejected it. Protests and objections did not lead to change. To counter the dominant creole culture, Indian culture was imparted in private after school sessions in mandirs and masjids.
In government schools, we were forced to mimic a cultural perspective and to read stories and novels completely alien to us especially in rural neighbourhoods. We were also forced to salute every morning the comrade leader whose portrait and the flag of his party that were prominently displayed and to say the pledge and sing the national anthem. And when resisted, opponents were victimised, teachers and headmasters or senior officers transferred or terminated. Burnham nationalised all private schools forcing his one culture (creole with nothing Indian or Amerindian) policy on all. The government forced us to sing creole folk songs and read creole folk stories and poems that had no relationship or connections with Indians. I remember as children, encouraged by adults, we ridiculed the creole songs, poems, stories. I won’t say what we did with Burnham’s photo that was on exercise books or public posters. We were also forced to sing the national anthem and say the pledge. At one time, it was the law to do same in cinemas before start of the movie. Charles Ramson Sr. refused to stand up and say the pledge or sing the anthem. The culture police arrested and charged him. He defended himself and won the case before Magistrate Prem Persaud. Burnham discontinued his policy of forced pledge and anthem in cinemas. But the education officers or police continued to enforce the policy in school. That policy of forced alien culture on people changed with the restoration of democracy post 1992. An alien culture was no longer foisted on any group and cultural diffusion occurred naturally to those wishing to embrace the cultures of other groups. That is how it is in the white man country today. It should be same for Guyana.
Government must be careful in its education policy not to bring back bad memories of the discredited educational policy of an authoritarian era. In the effort to teach reading, which must be mandatory in all early grades, especially in the selection of books and reading materials, the Ministry of Education must be sensitive in its choice so as not to alienate or marginalise the varied groups in our multi-cultural society. Whatever is presented in any book must be accurate and a true reflection of society. However, it is inevitable or natural that whoever writes a book does so from his or her own bias of cultural upbringing and understanding of life in the society. When government funds is involved, the Ministry must be extra sensitive not to project ethnic bias. To avoid such bias, it is critical to have representatives of all the cultures in preparing a Readers’ Book for children or adults that is produced by the Ministry of Education.
In teaching reading comprehension, texts must accurately reflect the cultures of the varied groups. Differences in cultural background cannot be papered over. Reading materials must accurately reflect students’ or the population’s cultural beliefs, behaviours, and experiences to enhance students’ reading and comprehension ability of the materials that they read in classroom. The materials must give the students the opportunity to foster appreciation of their culture and the cultures of others and be proud of their own.
I taught at various levels of schooling in the US (including Reading, Literature, and English) for over 35 years during which I obtained educational administrative and district superintendent licencing. Reading materials were Euro or White-centric. But during the 1980s, African and Hispanic American community leaders and educators began demanding and got changes in reading materials in the classrooms that reflect their cultures. About five years ago, Indian Americans took California to court for cultural bias against Hindus and won. Indian reading materials are now part of the curriculum. In New York and New Jersey, books and materials relating to all ethnic groups are included in the curriculum and syllabus. I am with a group that is lobbying the NY state to include Indian history and literature in educational policy.
No culture should be dominant. There must be cultural equality. The Ministry should recall the Readers text and start over inviting reading specialists and experts in the varied cultures to prepare a text that would accurately reflect the culture, civilisation, presence of our various peoples without alienating or marginalising any group.

Yours truly,
Vishnu Bisram

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